The UN General Assembly has overwhelmingly approved an Arab-sponsored resolution calling on Israel and the Palestinians to probe war crimes allegedly committed in Gaza nearly a year ago.
Dozens of nations have voiced support for a UN resolution that would demand that Israel and the Palestinians probe charges of war crimes in the Gaza war in the so-called Goldstone report that has been blasted by Israel and the US Congress.
The Israeli navy intercepted a ship which it claims was carrying hundreds of tonnes of Iranian weapons for the armed Islamist group Hezbollah. Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak called the operation "a success" in the fight against arms trafficking.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has arrived in Cairo for talks with President Hosni Mubarak aimed at pushing forward with Mideast peace talks and dispelling Arab fears over Washington's perceived change of stance on Israeli settlement growth.
The US House of Representatives has condemned the UN Goldstone report (named after former South African judge Richard Goldstone, pictured) as unfairly accusing Israel of war crimes in its war against Hamas militants in the Gaza Strip.
UN chief Ban Ki-moon has urged Israel to end its "provocative actions" in east Jerusalem and to follow through on its commitments to freeze all settlement activity in the occupied West Bank.
Palestinian foreign minister Riyad al-Malki says he is "satisfied" with Washington's position that an offer from Israel to show "restraint" on the issue of settlements in the occupied West Bank falls short of US expectations.
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says Israel's offer to show "restraint" on the issue of settlements in the occupied West Bank falls short of US expectations, as she tried on Monday to counter Arab accusations she is being too soft on Israel.
Palestinians consider Washington's change of tone on an Israeli settlement freeze as a fatal blow to future peace deal talks. The US no longer considers that a permanent construction halt is a precondition for talks.
