JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s military launched a surprise large-scale exercise on Wednesday on the occupied Golan Heights, testing its battle readiness amid tensions over Iran’s nuclear drive and civil war in Syria.

A military spokeswoman, appearing to play down any speculation the drill heralded imminent hostilities with Iran or Syria, said it was part of a routine training schedule. A similar snap exercise was held around this time a year ago.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – The White House has rejected a request by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to meet President Barak Obama in the United States this month, an Israeli official said on Tuesday, after a row erupted between the allies over Iran’s nuclear programme.

An Israeli official told Reuters on condition of anonymity that Netanyahu’s aides had asked for a meeting when he visits the United Nations this month and “the White House has got back to us and said it appears a meeting is not possible. It said that the president’s schedule will not permit that.”

JERUSALEM, Sept 11 (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday said the United States had
forfeited its moral right to stop Israel taking action against
Iran’s nuclear programme because it had refused to be firm with
Tehran itself.

In comments which appeared to bring the possibility of an
Israeli attack on Iran closer, Netanyahu took the Obama
administration to task after Washington rebuffed his own call to
set a red line for Tehran’s nuclear drive.

JERUSALEM, Sept 9 (Reuters) – Germany’s foreign minister on
Sunday urged Iran to make “substantial offers” to restart
nuclear talks with world powers and told Israel allowing the
Islamic Republic to get the bomb was “not an option”.

Guido Westerwelle’s comments, made during a visit to
Jerusalem, followed weeks of rhetoric in Israel over a possible
go-it-alone strike against Iran’s nuclear facilities and calls
by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for world powers to
set a “red line” for Tehran.

JERUSALEM, Sept 9 (Reuters) – Germany’s foreign minister
urged Iran on Sunday to bring “substantial offers” to restart
nuclear negotiations with world powers and assured Israel that
allowing the Islamic Republic to get the bomb was “not an
option”.

“We share the concern in Israel about the nuclear programme
in Iran,” Guido Westerwelle told reporters before talks with
Israeli Defence Minister Ehud Barak.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s ex-deputy said on Tuesday the Israeli leader’s attempt to recruit hawkish rebels from former coalition partner Kadima was aimed at boosting cabinet support for striking Iran.

Asked on Army Radio whether he believed such a political deal related to Iran had been in the works, Kadima chief Shaul Mofaz said: “I am saying this with a very heavy heart and with deep foreboding that this is happening in Israel.”

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s main political partner pulled out of his grand coalition on Tuesday, accusing him of surrendering to ultra-Orthodox Jews in a battle over military conscription.

Netanyahu will remain in office for the foreseeable future, still in control of a majority in parliament despite the decision by the centrist Kadima party to bolt the government it joined only two months ago.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Israel’s Ehud Olmert was acquitted of major corruption charges on Tuesday but convicted of breach of trust, a lesser offence, in what was widely seen as a stunning victory for the former prime minister.

Olmert resigned as the country’s leader in 2008 after the allegations surfaced, cutting short his pursuit of a peace deal with the Palestinians.

JERUSALEM (Reuters) – Ehud Olmert was found guilty on Tuesday of a corruption charge in the first criminal trial of a former Israeli prime minister, but acquitted on two other counts in what was widely seen as a significant victory for him.

Although Olmert was convicted of fraud and breach of trust, he was found not guilty on more serious charges that included allegations he received cash bribes from a U.S. businessman and double-billed Israeli charities for overseas fund-raising trips.