Turkish authorities have no concerns that the reconnaissance drone sent by Hizbullah into Israel's airspace early in October would trigger a war between the two countries, As Safir daily reported Saturday.

Unnamed Turkish sources said it is unlikely for similar incidents to trigger war between Israel and Lebanon because “neither Israel or Hizbullah nor any international party finds an interest in war currently. Similar incidents should be isolated in order to maintain stability.”

A spokesman for Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi confirmed on Thursday the authenticity of a controversial letter describing his Israeli counterpart as a "great" friend, saying it followed protocol.

The letter, sent for the confirmation of Egypt's new ambassador to Tel Aviv, was leaked to the Israeli press and sparked criticism at home for the Islamist Morsi, who has so far refused to mention Israel by name in his speeches.

U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has warned that Hizbullah’s sending of a reconnaissance drone into Israel's airspace may threaten stability in Lebanon, in his 16th report on the implementation of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1559.

According to LBCI television, Ban also voiced his concerns over the Syrian crisis’ repercussions on the situation in Lebanon, praising the stances of President Michel Suleiman and Prime Minister Najib Miqati in regards to the so-called self-disassociation policy.

Israeli President Shimon Peres on Thursday said Hizbullah was “more of a threat to Lebanon than to Israel,” in the wake of Hizbullah's sending of a reconnaissance drone over the Jewish state.

“This organization is more of a threat to Lebanon than to Israel, because Israel is capable of defending itself,” Israel's radio quoted the Israeli president as saying.

U.N. human rights chief Navi Pillay lamented Thursday Israel's decision to boycott the Human Rights Council after it announced in March it would investigate Jewish settlements in the Palestinian territories.

"All indications are that they (Israel) will not be participating" in a meeting of the council early next year set to review the human rights situation in a number of countries including Israel, the High Commissioner for Human Rights told reporters in Geneva.

Israel granted final approval on Thursday to a plan to build 800 homes near Gilo in annexed east Jerusalem, with construction tenders likely to be published within a few months, a Peace Now official said.

The move will mean the westward expansion of Gilo, a settlement neighborhood located on the southern flanks of east Jerusalem, which lies very close to the West Bank town of Bethlehem.

Hundreds of Hamas fighters kicked off celebrations in Gaza on Thursday to mark one year since Israel began freeing 1,027 prisoners in exchange for the release of one soldier.

In the first event of a day of celebrations, hundreds of armed and masked fighters from the Ezzedine al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of the ruling Hamas movement, marched through the city in a big show of force, an AFP correspondent said.

The United States and Israel are set to launch a major military exercise in a show of unity aimed at Iran, despite friction between American and Israeli leaders over how to counter Tehran's nuclear ambitions.

The air defense drills, dubbed "Austere Challenge 2012," will unfold later this month and last about three weeks, with 3,500 U.S. troops and 1,000 Israeli forces taking part, officers said Wednesday.

The Israeli airforce carried out a sortie in the Gaza Strip early Thursday morning, sources on both sides said, hours after rockets from the enclave hit southern Israel.

Palestinian medics and security sources said the strike targeted a Hamas security site south of Gaza City. They said the attack resulted in no injuries.

Palestinian militants in the Gaza Strip fired a rocket into southern Israel on Wednesday, but it fell on open ground close to the border, Israeli police said.

"No injuries or damage were caused," police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld told Agence France Presse.