Turkey on Thursday slammed a new law adopted by Israel's parliament defining the country as the nation state of the Jewish people, saying the legislation "trampled" on universal law and the rights of Israeli Arabs.

The legislation, adopted after a tumultuous Knesset session, makes Hebrew the country's national language and defines the establishment of Jewish communities as being in the national interest.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov Thursday called for dialogue between Israel and Iran following Israeli strikes on Iranian targets in Syria that marked a sharp escalation between the two enemies. 

Thousands of Israelis marched against corruption in Tel Aviv on Friday, in the first protest since police recommended that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu be indicted for fraud.

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict has its roots in the late 19th century when Jews fleeing anti-Semitism in Russia and central Europe began emigrating to Palestine.

Israel's military chief of staff on Wednesday reduced the sentence of a soldier convicted of manslaughter for shooting dead a prone Palestinian assailant by four months, in a case that has deeply divided the country.

Israel's attorney general took a step Friday toward indicting Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wife for corruption in a scandal that deepened the mounting legal problems of Israel's first family.

Attorney General Avichai Mandleblit announced he is considering charging Sara Netanyahu with graft, fraud and breach of trust for alleged overspending of over $100,000 in public funds on private meals at the prime minister's official residence.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Wednesday that Israel is enjoying its greatest relations ever with the Arab world, even without a peace accord with the Palestinians.

Netanyahu was addressing Foreign Ministry personnel ahead of the Jewish new year, saying the extent of relations has yet to fully be made public. He said their scope was greater than "any other period in Israeli history."

International pressure on the Palestinian Authority to halt payments to the families of Palestinians held in Israeli jails, including those convicted of attacks, could trigger political crisis, rights groups say.

The six-page Document of General Principles and Policies unveiled Monday by Hamas, accepts a Palestinian state within the 1967 borders while refusing to recognize Israel.

Israel on Monday condemned French far-right presidential candidate Marine Le Pen's for denying her country was responsible for the war-time round-up of Jews later sent to Nazi death camps.