The Russian human rights defence organisation Memorial and its three leaders have received the European Parliament’s 2009 Sakharov Prize for freedom of thought, named after the late physicist-turned-dissident.

A witness in the war crimes trial of John Demjanjuk trial may himself be guilty of crimes against humanity.

Christian Palestinians living in Gaza will be permitted to enter Israel and visit Bethlehem for Christmas.

Iran has successfully tested an upgraded version of its longest-range solid-fuel missile, according to an Iranian State TV report on Wednesday, which did not provide details on the Sajjil-2 missile test.

President Shimon Peres said on Wednesday that the arrest warrant issued against opposition leader Tzipi Livni in Britain was one of the country's biggest political mistakes in recent years.

Egyptian security forces on Monday destroyed a tunnel being used to smuggle cars into the Gaza Strip.

Israel's top-ranked player won the 2009 Chess World Cup.

The US was not apprised in advance of plans to place dozens of settlements in the revised national priorities map that will be brought to the cabinet on Sunday, but it has been assured that the incentives to be given in these areas will have nothing to do with housing or construction

Senior Hamas officials said Friday that a prisoner swap deal for the release of abducted Israel Defense Forces soldier Gilad Shalit was unlikely to be completed in the near future.

U.S. President Barack Obama accepted the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize on Thursday, acknowledging the controversy over the choice of a wartime president and saying he reserved the right to take action to protect the United States.