Israel is concerned with reports that the US plans to sell dozens of M60 main battle tanks to the Lebanese army, senior defense officials said over the weekend.

US Marines atop an M60 tank.



"There is a possibility these tanks will fall into Hizbullah's hands," one official warned. "At the moment, Hizbullah does not yet have heavy armor in its arsenal."



On Friday, the An-Nahar daily reported the US was planning to deliver dozens of M60 tanks to Lebanon in several… Continue

Declaring that Israel is willing to talk with "all of its Arab neighbors" on the basis of 2002's Arab League peace initiative, the Prime Minister's Office on Thursday said it welcomed Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas's move in which he appealed to the Israeli public to support the plan by publishing a copy of the initiative in four Israeli dailies.



PA buys ads in Israeli press to promote Arab peace initiative



The ad appears on page 11 of today's Jerusalem… Continue

Israel is increasingly concerned that Germany might sell Dolphin-class submarines to Egypt, top defense and political officials told The Jerusalem Post on Tuesday.

The Dolphin-class submarine.



Cairo, officials said, has opened talks with Berlin aimed at having the Egyptian navy purchase several Dolphin-class submarines, regarded as one of the top diesel-powered submarines in the world.



Egypt is apparently interested in upgrading its aging submarine fleet, though… Continue

Knesset Member Yuval Steinitz (Likud) initiated a Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee meeting following the situation in southern Israel. Several other MKs joined his appeal."In light of the escalation and the Katyusha and Qassam attacks on Sderot, Ashkelon and the Gaza vicinity communities, the committee must urgently summon Foreign Minister Tizpi Livni and Defense Minister Barak in order for them to explain their policy and present the political and security-related options available to… Continue

The Likud has issued a clear policy directive against Israeli talks with Syria to advisers of both presidential candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, as well as to representatives of the US State Department.



"If we form the next government we won't be committed to any agreement, or partial agreement, that was achieved by Kadima during this election period between Israel and Syria," MK Yuval Steinitz told The Jerusalem Post on Monday.



Attorney-General Menahem Mazuz said… Continue