Duke is asked to save a piece of Jerusalem

The Duke of Edinburgh has been unwittingly drawn into a row over a piece of prime Jerusalem real estate by Zalmi Unsdorfer, the chairman of Israel's Likud-Herut party in Britain.

The row centres on the famous Russian Compound in the heart of Jerusalem. One part of it is called Sergei's Courtyard. Built in 1890 for the benefit of pilgrims visiting Palestine, it was named after Tsar Alexander II's son Sergei Alexandrovich, head of the Imperial Society of Russian Orthodox Christians in the Holy Land.

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Jailed ex-Shas leader tipped to run for Jerusalem mayor

Reports that former Shas leader Arieh Deri wants to run for the Jerusalem mayoralty has created a stir in the race, even though he may not be allowed to because of his corruption conviction.

Mr Deri, one of the most popular yet controversial figures in Israeli politics, has been out of public life since his release from prison in 2002.

He has remained an influential power behind the scenes, unofficially advising ministers and acting as a power-broker, while remaining a constant threat to the current Shas leader Eli Yishai.

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Linking-up and clicking at the bloggers' ball

The first international Jewish bloggers convention in Jerusalem last week brought together more than 200 participants from Israel and abroad.

The event, organised by aliyah organisation Nefesh B'Nefesh, was intended to give Jewish bloggers - writers of online diaries - a platform for networking, sharing ideas, experience and tips, as well as getting acquainted with the people behind online destinations such as Oleh Girl or My Right Word.

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Outcry as Defence Ministry authorises 20 new houses in the West Bank

Settlers in the Jordan Valley are unfazed by the international outcry against the Defence Ministry's decision to authorise the building of 20 houses at a West Bank settlement.

In an unusually harsh statement, Britain's Foreign Secretary David Miliband has described it as "a real obstacle to peace" and complained directly to Jerusalem. The US State Department and UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon also condemned the planned expansion at Maskiot, in the Jordan Valley.

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Sarah Brown meets JLGB

Thirty members of the Jewish Lads' and Girls' Brigade's Israel tour spent an afternoon with Gordon Brown's wife Sarah in Jerusalem last week.

Mrs Brown, who accompanied the Prime Minister on his Israel trip, met the JLGB group on the steps of the King David Hotel. She shared her impressions of Israel and heard about the brigade party's tour experiences during a question-and-answer interchange.

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Crackdown call after bulldozer rampage

An Arab bulldozer driver has gone on the rampage in Jerusalem in the second incident in three weeks, bringing renewed calls for restrictions on the capital’s Palestinian civilians.

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College links put pressure on boycotters

A groundbreaking scheme that strengthens links between universities and academics in Britain and Israel has been launched simultaneously in London and Jerusalem.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown signed an agreement on Sunday with Premier Ehud Olmert to start the Britain-Israel Research and Academic Exchange Partnership. BIRAX, as it is known, will give grants primarily to junior academics, mainly in scientific research.

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Three injured in tractor attack

Three people have been injured in central Jerusalem after a tractor driver apparently went on the rampage, two weeks after a similar incident left three people dead.

A border policeman shot the driver dead after he drove into two vehicles on the corner of Keren Hayesdod and King David streets.

The injured, one of whom was said to be in serious condition, were taken to Shaare Tzedek hospital.

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Bulldozer killer’s home may not be demolished

High-ranking IDF officers have advised Defence Minister Ehud Barak not to order the demolition of home of Husam Dwiat, who killed three Israelis last Wednesday in Jerusalem.

Calls for the demolition of the house of Dwiat’s family in the Sur Bahir neighbourhood of East Jerusalem were heard from politicians following the tractor rampage in which Dwiat killed Bat Sheva Unterman, Elizabeth (Lili) Goren and Jean Relevy and wounded more than 50 others, before being shot by an off-duty soldier.

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A day of disbelief

Everyone agreed that it was a terrorist attack that could not have been foreseen.

The driver of the number 13 bus attacked by 31-year-old Husam Dwiat told reporters that his first response had been to harangue him for bad driving.

“When he first hit us,” said Assaf Nadav, “I opened the window to shout at him about his driving. I thought it was just a careless accident. Then he turned the bulldozer around and tipped us over with his shovel.”

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