Benny Gantz

U.S. President Donald Trump said he will announce his long-delayed Middle East peace proposal and that he believes Palestinians will eventually go along with it despite their refusal to engage on the subject.

Palestine's leadership vowed on Jan. 23 not to recognize any Middle East peace plan it had previously rejected, warning the U.S. and Israel against announcing such a deal.

AGERPRES special correspondent Florentina Peia reports: President Klaus Iohannis was welcomed on Tuesday by his Israeli counterpart, Reuven Rivlin, at the official residence of the President of the State of Israel, Beit HaNassi in Jerusalem, on the occasion of the former's visit in Israel. Reuven Rivlin thanked Klaus Iohannis for this visit. "It's my pleasure.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu easily won a vote to keep the Likud party helm, the party said on Dec. 27, in a boost ahead of what is likely to be a hard-fought general election in March.

The Arab bloc in Israel's parliament abandoned its usual hands-off stance on Sept. 22 and endorsed former military chief Benny Gantz for prime minister, potentially giving him the edge over hard-line incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu.

Near-complete official results on Sept. 20 confirmed a deadlock in Israel's general election this week, putting Benny Gantz's party as the largest but without an obvious path to form a majority coalition.    

The divided Israeli society has once again failed to reach a clear decision. The results of Tuesday's elections have cast the country back into a cycle of negotiations. Center-left Benny Gantz and conservative incumbent Benjamin Netanyahu are weighing their options, while former foreign minister Avigdor Lieberman is pursuing the role of potential kingmaker.

Respected Israeli former military chief of staff Benny Gantz on Thursday launched a political party ahead of snap April elections, with polls suggesting his new group could claim a number of seats.

Israel warned Hamas Thursday against any escalation in violence, reinforcing its Gaza border amid continued rocket fire and heightened tensions after the murder of three Israeli youths and a Palestinian teenager.