Unofficially, Elyashiv is the paramount leader of the Lithuanian-Haredi community, both in Israel and abroad, regarded by many as the contemporary leading halakhic authority.

Agreement between rival factions represents a significant breakthrough in the efforts to reach Palestinian reconciliation; still not clear when unity government will be sworn in.

Reported deal between rival factions reached during meeting between Palestinian President and Hamas chief Meshal may pave the way to Palestinian reconciliation.

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman will meet US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in Washington next week, the daily Haaretz reported.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged Israel to halt settlement construction in the West Bank and ''to make gestures of goodwill toward the Palestinians.''

Rockets exploded in Sha'ar Hanegev and Ashkelon Beach regions, causing no casualties or damage.

Israel, the United States and Iran have all gone deep into mixed-signals territory.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was victorious in the Likud Party chairmanship race, though his only challenger garnered about 24 percent of the vote.

Canadian Foreign Minister John Baird, on a visit in Jerusalem, said Monday Israel ''has no better friend in the world than Canada'' and he characterized delegitimization of Israel as ''the new anti-Semitism.''

Yad Vashem inaugurates Monday the new international seminars wing of the International School for Holocaust Studies, supported by Joseph Gottdenker of Canada along with Friends of Yad Vashem worldwide, and the new Edmond J. Safra Lecture Hall, donated by the Edmond J. Safra Philanthropic Foundation.