JC printing in Israel

From this week, the Jewish Chronicle is being printed locally in Israel for fast distribution in the country each week.

The JC will be available on Sundays along with the Jerusalem Post. The arrangement is designed to make it easy and convenient for Israelis and other residents to enjoy the world's oldest Jewish newspaper.

JC editor David Rowan said: "We are delighted to be partnering with the Jerusalem Post, a terrific and influential newspaper, and look forward to welcoming many new readers in Israel."

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Israel's parties in election turmoil

Election season has kicked off in Israel this week as party leaders accused one another of racism, corruption and betrayal following Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni's failure to establish a new coalition and President Shimon Peres's decision to send the country to the polls.

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Peres to be knighted?

Israeli President Shimon Peres may receive an honorary title from the Queen on his forthcoming visit to Britain next month. The details of the visit, which was reported first in the JC last month, and the bestowing of any possible title, are still under discussion between the Foreign Office and Buckingham Palace.

Mr Peres will visit Britain on November 18 for three days and though the trip is not classified as an official state visit, he will also meet the Queen.

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Dune-crash pilots killed

In the second plane crash in as many months, two Israeli Air Force pilots died on Wednesday when their jet crashed into the Negev Desert.

The two pilots were flying in a French-made Fouga Magister, known in the IAF as "Zukit" - the IAF's primary training plane. One of the dead, 19-year-old Ilan Carmi, had been on the prestigious Pilot's Course for the past 18 months. The other pilot was identified as Cpt Matan Assa, 24, who was serving as a flight instructor.

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Barak opposes 'free Shalit' march

Ehud Barak and Noam Shalit, father of captured soldier Gilad, exchanged barbs this week after the defence minister claimed that demonstrations calling for the soldier's release were damaging to negotiations with Hamas that are slated to be renewed in the coming week.

Labour Party leader Mr Barak said on Sunday that he loses sleep at night over the Shalit issue but that the demonstrations could be harmful since Hamas may interpret them as a sign of weakness in Israel and in response increase its demands for the soldier's release.

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Jerusalem mayoral race enters last lap

The Four candidates vying for the job of Jerusalem's mayor in the elections that will take place on November 11 have been finalised.

The two front-runners are MK Meir Porush of United Torah Judaism (UTJ), representing Jerusalem's strictly Orthodox community, and the independent Nir Barkat, who has led the opposition in Jerusalem's City Hall for the last five years and has emerged as the champion of the secular camp.

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