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(IsraelNN.com) Hamas spokesman Mahmoud Zahar issued a demand Sunday evening that Israel remove the stripes from its flag. "Israel must remove the two blue stripes from its national flag", Zahar said. "The stripes are symbols of occupation – they signify Israel's borders, stretching from the River Euphrates to the River Nile." The Hamas official's comments followed Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz's assessment at the weekly Cabinet meeting that the newly elected terror group was "acting responsibly so far." Zahar also told CNN's Late Edition that the world should not be asking Hamas to recognize Israel, but rather demanding that the Jewish...

Tzipi Livni, who is running for Knesset at the head of an independent party, blamed Bayit Yehudi leader Naftali Bennett for the violence at the Oz Tzion outpost near Beit El Friday. "Bennett and the extremist rabbis led people to that hilltop on purpose, in order to create friction with IDF soldiers and a situation in which they would refuse orders," Livni wrote on her Facebook page. "These extremists led the people there on Sabbath eve in the knowledge that our children, the IDF soldiers, would have to evict them," she explained. "Netanyahu, who continues to wink toward the extremist...

Tzachi Hanegbi of Kadima, a former minister, announced several days ago that he plans to return to his first political home – Likud. In an event Thursday night, he started to gather disgruntled Kadima members in an attempt to bring as many party members as possible back to Likud with him. Hanegbi addressed those at the event and explained his disapproval for current Kadima head MK Shaul Mofaz, and his disagreement with Mofaz’s decision to leave the coalition. Mofaz’s hasty exit from the coalition just weeks after joining upset many of his own MKs. He made the decision to leave...

MK Shaul Mofaz was elected on Tuesday to be the new chairman of the Kadima party. Mofaz beat his rival MK Tzipi Livni, who has headed the party since 2008, and will assume the position of opposition leader. According to final results reported by Army Radio, Mofaz won 64.5 percent of the vote while Livni received only 35.5 percent. The poll closed at 10:00 p.m. Israel time and as of 9:00 p.m. only about 38 percent of party members exercised their right to vote in the primary. Analysts predicted earlier that a low turnout would likely play out in Mofaz’s...

On August 1, 2008, Shaul Mofaz, deputy prime minister and transportation minister of Israel, and Nicholas Burns, who until recently was undersecretary of state for foreign affairs, addressed a special policy forum at The Washington Institute. Mr. Mofaz and Ambassador Burns, who both led the U.S.-Israel strategic dialogue focusing on Iran, spoke about the challenges caused by Iran and its nuclear program. The following is a rapporteur's summary of their remarks. SHAUL MOFAZ Iran's nuclear program is geared toward attaining military weapons capability -- something that constitutes an existential threat to the state of Israel. With such ability, Iran not...

Tuesday, April 25, 2006 On Holocaust Remembrance Day: Calls For A New Holocaust The enemies of Israel and the Jewish people picked Holocaust Remembrance Day (Yom HaShoah) to call for a new Holocaust, one that would destroy Israel. Iranian President Mahmoud Ahemdinejad, renewing his calls for Israel to be destroyed, said:We say that this fake regime cannot not logically continue to live and addedOpen the doors [of Europe] and let the Jews go back to their own countries conveniently ignoring the fact that a majority of Israel's Jewish population didn't come from Europe and has no ties to that continent....

Mofaz defends raid to capture minister's assassins Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said that no responsible government would allow assassins of a government minister to go free. He said it should have been clear to the Palestinian Authority that the killers of Rahavam Zeevi would not evade the long arm of Israel. The Jericho jail was summer camp and not a real prison, Mofaz told Kol Israel. He denied any connection between the raid in Jericho and the upcoming elections nor, he said, was there coordination with the British or Americans regarding planning when their monitors were leaving the prison site....

Jan. 5, 2006 12:11 | Updated Jan. 5, 2006 12:24 Sheetrit: Kadima must choose leader By JPOST.COM STAFF In the midst of the dire health of Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and the rising uncertainty as to the political direction of the country, many political figures Thursday morning preferred to stick with wishing Sharon a speedy recovery without making political speculations. However, Transportation Minister Meir Sheetrit broke that trend, telling Channel 10 that he is calling on the Kadima Party council to hold a meeting within 48 hours due to the prime minister's condition, "in order to decide who will lead...

Nov. 24, 2005 18:47 | Updated Nov. 24, 2005 21:25 Low turnout mars Sharon-less Likud committee event By GIL HOFFMAN The Likud central committee convenes Minister without portfolio Tzahi Hanegbi Photo: Ariel Jerozolimski The first Likud central committee meeting without Prime Minister Ariel Sharon was intended to be a showcase of party unity in the post-Sharon era, but instead it will be remembered for its low turnout. When the event was supposed to start at 5 p.m., the room was nearly empty. It started an hour late and finished shortly thereafter. Organizers said after the event that 911 central committee...

Likud to Choose New Leader Likud Committee approves December primariesAmid growing tension among candidates for Likud leadership, ominous polls ahead of March general elections, Likud Central Committee convene in Tel Aviv Thursday to approve December 19 as date for leadership contest Attila Somfalvi Closing in. Mofaz Photo: Gil Yohanan A positive campaign. Netanyahu Photo: AFP Amid the growing tension among the candidates for Likud leadership and the ominous polls ahead of the March general elections, the Likud Central Committee is convening in Tel Aviv Thursday to approve the date for primary elections for party chairmanship and to determine the ordering...

Nov. 16, 2005 19:30 | Updated Nov. 16, 2005 20:03 Mofaz tours E1 area, Gush Etzion By ERICA CHERNOFSKYConstruction of the security fence in the Gush Etzion and Ma'ale Adumim area should begin as soon as possible, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz said while visiting the West Bank settlements Wednesday. Mofaz met with the heads of the settlements and following his visit affirmed that the government will continue to strengthen the large settlements blocks, according to the Defense Ministry spokeswoman. He added that it would be these settlements that determine the eastern front of the state of Israel. He also said...

Oct. 25, 2005 20:43 Mofaz off to Cairo to meet Mubarak By ARIEH O'SULLIVAN Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz flies to Cairo Wednesday for a one-day meeting with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak to discuss border crossing arrangements with the Gaza Strip. The sudden invitation to Cairo came following Mubarak's meeting on Monday with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas who stopped in Egypt to brief Mubarak on his talks with US President Bush in Washington last week. It also comes amid criticism by a top Mideast envoy for dragging its feet over opening the Gaza border. Mofaz's visit will also include a meeting...

Mofaz to Bibi: You’ll destroy Likud Defense Minister calls on Likud Central Committee members to reject Netanyahu’s initiative to bring the party’s primary elections forward, says, ‘Bibi, if your battle (to push up the primaries) succeeds, you will be remembered as the person who destroyed Likud’ Attila Somfalvi Says Bibi hurt Likud voters. Mofaz Photo: Tzafrir Aviyov Defense minister attacked his economic policy. Netanyahu Photo: Hagai Aharon Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz called Thursday on Likud Central Committee members to reject the proposal to bring the party’s primary elections forward. Mofaz, who spoke during a New Year’s toast, launched a scathing...

May. 15, 2005 23:07 | Updated May. 15, 2005 23:20 Mofaz paints dim picture of PA security situation for cabinet By HERB KEINON Israel views any attempt to develop a Kassam rocket in the West Bank as a "ticking bomb" and will take the necessary military action to thwart it without first asking the Palestinian Authority to act, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told the cabinet Sunday. "The minute there is information about Kassam rockets we act," Mofaz said in answer to a question about the Palestinian rocket arsenal. Mofaz said that today in Gaza there were Kassam rockets with a...

24 outposts to be removed Israel will evacuate unauthorized outposts built in March 2001 and later, as stipulated by the road map, Prime Minister Sharon tells United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan; U.N. head is in Israel for new Holocaust museum’s inauguration By Doron Sheffer and Attila Somfalvi Annan, Sharon in good spirits Photo: GPO JERUSALEM - Israel will remove unauthorized outposts built in March 2001 and later, as stipulated by the “road map” peace plan, Prime Minister Ariel Sharon told United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan during their meeting Sunday. Sharon’s decision conforms with the position advanced by senior...

JERUSALEM, Feb. 17 - Israel ordered a halt on Thursday to the policy of demolishing the homes of Palestinian militants, a step welcomed by Palestinian and human rights groups. The decision by Israel's defense minister, Shaul Mofaz, suspends a practice that Israel has employed on and off for decades despite harsh international criticism of it as collective punishment. A military statement did not say why the policy was being changed, but the newspaper Haaretz reported on its Web site that Maj. Gen. Udi Shani, who headed a committee reviewing the matter, had challenged the existing military position that demolitions were...

Feb. 5, 2005 22:17 | Updated Feb. 6, 2005 21:01 Mofaz: Israel has frozen fugitive hunt By HERB KEINON AND KHALED ABU TOAMEH Palestinians during a demonstration in Gaza City calling for the release of prisoners being held by Israel Photo: AP Israel and the Palestinians have reached an agreement whereby Israel would stop hunting wanted terror suspects on the condition that each fulfills five conditions, including handing in their weapons and promising not to participate in terror activities, Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz told the cabinet Sunday. The other three conditions include withdrawing their membership from terrorist organizations, capitulating to...

Israel and India Strengthen Defense Ties 19:00 Jan 19, '05 / 9 Shevat 5765 India and Israel continue to strengthen the military ties between the two countries. They have agreed to sign several more defense deals and conduct joint air exercises. Israeli Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz and Director General of the Israeli Ministry of Defense Amos Yaron met with an eight-member Indian delegation led by Indian Defense Secretary Ajai Vikram Singh. The meeting was intended to allay concerns that India’s security relations with Israel would decline under the Indian leadership of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA), which assumed office...

Last Update: 20/01/2005 00:00 Ministers give approval, in principle, to army operation in Lebanon By Aluf Benn and Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondents The political-security cabinet, meeting Wednesday for the first time with its new Labor party members, approved in principle a military operation in Lebanon. The decision was made in response to three incidents in recent weeks, including one in which Hezbollah detonated explosive devices in the Har Dov region, killing an Israel Defense Force officer. "[Hezbollah] by its actions is trying to torpedo any progress between Israel and Abu Mazen (Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas)," Defense Minister Shaul Mofaz...

Jan. 19, 2005 18:20 | Updated Jan. 19, 2005 20:57 Security Cabinet decides to give Abbas a chance By JPOST.COM STAFF Israel will renew security ties with the PA a week after they were cut off, the National Security Cabinet decided Wednesday evening. Throughout the day, close associates of PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas met with senior Israeli officials in Jerusalem to request cooperation, Army Radio reported. Defense Minister Mofaz agreed to a Palestinian request to allow senior IDF officials from the Southern Command to meet with Palestinian security officials in order to present and coordinate security steps the Palestinians are...