Israeli foreign minister claims control over village divided between Lebanon and Golan Heights

September 11th, 2009 Lebanon official: 2 rockets fired toward IsraelBEIRUT — A senior Lebanese military official says two rockets have been fired toward Israel from inside Lebanon. The official says the rockets were fired Friday from the town of Qlaileh, near the Lebanese port city of Tyre.

September 11th, 2009 NEW YORK - UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon condemned the firing of two missiles into Israel Friday, saying the UN peacekeeping mission in southern Lebanon will investigate the incident. He called on all parties to exercise restraint.

August 14th, 2009 Hezbollah chief: We'll hit Tel Aviv if Beirut hitBEIRUT — The leader of Lebanon's militant Hezbollah warned Israel Friday his fighters would hit Tel Aviv with rockets if Israeli forces attack Beirut or the guerrillas' stronghold in its southern suburbs. Speaking on the anniversary of the end of the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah, Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said the Shiite militants are now capable of striking any Israeli city.

August 10th, 2009 Israel says Lebanon accountable for HezbollahJERUSALEM —Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Monday that his country would hold the Lebanese government responsible for any attacks on Israeli targets by the country's Hezbollah militia. It was the latest shot in a war of words that has been escalating since a July 14 explosion at a suspected Hezbollah arms depot near the Israeli border.

July 25th, 2009 US envoy arrives in Syria for Mideast peace talksDAMASCUS, Syria — President Barack Obama's special Mideast envoy arrived Saturday on his second visit to Syria since he took up his post in the latest U.S. diplomatic outreach to a country deemed a state sponsor of terrorism.

July 24th, 2009 Syria says it is rebuilding relations with USLONDON — Syria's foreign minister said Friday his country is working to rebuild its diplomatic relationship with the United States. Walid al-Moallem told reporters in London that his country is looking forward to a visit by U.S.

July 22nd, 2009 Turkish, Syrian leaders talk about Mideast peaceDAMASCUS, Syria — Turkey's prime minister said Wednesday he has been asked to help mediate again in the Arab-Israeli conflict, speaking ahead of talks in Syria with the president. The Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan helped mediate last year in four rounds of indirect peace negotiations between Israel and Syria.

July 22nd, 2009 Turkish leader presses Israel to return GolanDAMASCUS, Syria — Turkey's prime minister said Wednesday his country is prepared to resume mediating in the Arab-Israeli conflict and pressed Israel to return the Golan Heights to Syria. The Turkish leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan also strongly reprimanded Palestinians for the divisions between the West Bank-based Palestinian Authority and Hamas militants who run the Gaza Strip.

July 10th, 2009 Top Netanyahu aide: No Golan Heights pullout for peace JERUSALEM — Israel will not withdraw from the entire Golan Heights in return for a peace deal with Syria, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's top policy adviser said in an interview published Friday, rejecting Syria's key demand for an agreement with Israel. The two countries could split the territory, suggested Uzi Arad, Netanyahu's national security adviser and the aide widely seen as closest to Netanyahu.

June 8th, 2009 AP source: US envoy to visit Syria, LebanonWASHINGTON — A senior Obama administration official says U.S. special Mideast envoy George Mitchell plans to travel to Syria and Lebanon this week.

May 13th, 2009 Israel delays decision on returning Lebanese townJERUSALEM — Israel is suspending discussions of a possible withdrawal from the Lebanese side of a divided border town until after the neighboring country's elections next month, concerned that Iranian-backed Hezbollah could gain more political power and take control of the area, an official said Wednesday. Israel has held the Lebanese half of Ghajar since recapturing it in its 2006 war with Hezbollah, concerned that if it gives it back it will give the Shiite militant group another foothold on the border.

May 13th, 2009 Israel: No decision on divided town until electionJERUSALEM — Israel is suspending discussion of a possible withdrawal from the Lebanese side of a divided border town, fearing the Hezbollah guerrilla group will take control, an Israeli official said Wednesday. The official said Israel will wait until after Lebanon's June 7 elections, which Hezbollah is contesting.

May 9th, 2009 Israel discussing withdrawal from Lebanese villageJERUSALEM — Israel's deputy foreign minister indicated Thursday that his government is considering withdrawing from part of a contentious village under Israeli control though a U.N. border puts part of it in Lebanon.

April 26th, 2009 Israel: No preconditions to talks with SyriaJERUSALEM — Israel's foreign minister said Sunday that he was willing to sit down immediately with Syria to talk peace if there would be no preconditions, just days after saying that Damascus was not a partner for peace. Syria recently said it would be willing to resume indirect peace talks with the new Israeli government as long as they focused on a complete withdrawal from the Golan Heights.

April 22nd, 2009 Israel: Halt Iran to allow Mideast peace effortsJERUSALEM — Israeli Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon said Wednesday that Iran must be reined in if Israel and the Palestinians hope to move along the path to peace. Ayalon made it clear, however, that this was not an Israeli condition for going ahead with peacemaking, though Israel charges that Iran is the main backer of the violent Islamic Hamas rulers of Gaza as well as Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon.