Court proceedings against Israel's outgoing president Moshe Katsav for sex offences were further delayed on Monday as the prosecution sought extra days to justify a plea bargain slammed as too lenient.
The Palestinian emergency cabinet on Monday prepared to pay thousands of civil servants but none allied to Hamas with nearly 120 million dollars transferred by Israel after a 17-month boycott.
Israel transferred millions of dollars worth of tax funds to the new Palestinian government, allowing it to pay its workers in full for the first time in a year — while skipping the ones who work for the Islamic Hamas in Gaza.
Israel's state prosecution was on Monday reportedly seeking an extra two days to justify a much criticised plea bargain reached with outgoing head of state Moshe Katsav over sex offences.
Israel's Supreme Court has delayed a widely criticized plea bargain that dropped the threat of rape charges and jail time against the former president, giving the state until Monday afternoon to defend the deal.
An Egyptian engineer who was convicted in 2002 of spying for Israel has died in jail of a possible heart attack while serving a 15-year sentence, Egyptian security sources said on Monday.
Israel will resume monthly transfers of taxes to the government as well as return, in installments, about $600 million withheld from the Palestinians since early 2006.
"After a lengthy investigation, the ISA and Israel Police have arrested eleven senior Hamas members in Jerusalem.
Israel's Supreme Court delayed a plea bargain that dropped rape charges against Israel's former president, leaving only minor infractions, and women's rights activists demanded that the court scuttle the deal.
“This event will present an unparalleled opportunity for emerging new-media-related companies in Israel and the Southeast U.S. to present themselves and have pre-arranged and pre-qualified meetings with leading companies in North America to foster joint-venture research and development, investment and marketing alliances,” the parties said in a prepared statement.