Extreme-right party joins Israeli coalition cabinet

    JERUSALEM, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- An extreme-right party joined Israel's coalition government on Monday in line with an agreement reached between Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the party's chairman Avigdor Lieberman, causing disputes in the Jewish state.

    "Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and the chairman of the Yisrael Beitenu ("Our home is Israel") party, Avigdor Lieberman, several minutes ago signed an agreement on Yisrael Beitenu's joining the coalition," Olmert's office said in a statement. Full Story

Israel confirms use of phosphorus shells in war on Hezbollah

    BEIJING, Oct. 23 (Xinhuanet) -- The Israeli government confirmed on Sunday it had used controversial phosphorus shells during its monthlong war against Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon this summer.

    The International Red Cross and other human rights organizations have urged a world ban on the munitions, saying they cause undue suffering through severe burns when coming into contact with human flesh. Full Story

Israeli army to probe use of cluster bombs in Lebanon

    JERUSALEM, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Chief of Staff Dan Halutz will appoint a major-general to investigate the use of cluster bombs during the Lebanon war, Israeli television Channel One reported on Sunday.

    Halutz is reported to order the army to use cluster bombs out of the populated areas in an extremely careful fashion. Full Story

Israeli general resigns due to inquiry into Lebanon war

    JERUSALEM, Nov. 12 (Xinhua) -- An Israel Defense Forces (IDF)commander, under investigation for his performance before and during the recent war with Lebanese Hezbollah guerillas, submitted his resignation on Sunday to IDF chief of staff, local media reported.

    Commander of Galilee Division Brigadier General Gal Hirsch made the announcement Sunday morning at the start of a special General Staff meeting regarding the inquiry into Israeli soldiers'abduction in the summer which sparked the war with Hezbollah militants. Full Story

Report: cluster bombs used in Lebanon by IDF

    JERUSALEM, Sept.12 (Xinhua) -- Israel Defense Forces (IDF) heavily used cluster bombs and phosphorous shells during the Lebanese war, local daily Ha'aretz reported on Tuesday.

    Ha'aretz quoted the head of an IDF rocket unit in Lebanon as reporting that the IDF fired around 1,800 cluster bombs, containing over 1.2 million cluster bomblets, in the 34-day offensive in Lebanon. Full Story

UN official criticizes Israel's use of cluster bombs

    STOCKHOLM, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- UN Relief Work Coordinator, Norway's Jan Egeland, has strongly criticized Israel's use of cluster bombs in Lebanon, according to reports reaching here from Oslo on Thursday.

    UN experts have so far found 100,000 undetonated cluster bombs in more than 350 spots in Lebanon, Norwegian Broadcasting (NRK) reported. Full Story

Annan denounces Israel use of cluster bombs

    AMMAN, Aug. 31 (Xinhua) -- The United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan denounced here on Thursday during a news conference the Israel's use of cluster bombs during the war between Israel and Lebanese Hezbollah guerrillas.

    After his talks with Jordan's King Abdullah II, Annan said that "those kinds of weapons should not be used in civilian and populated areas". Full Story