Crude Oil Futures opened more than 4 percent higher on Monday after the Hamas attack on Israel during the weekend.

American electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer Tesla Motors has finally started taking orders for its EVs in Israel, and the unexpectedly low prices of Tesla cars are all set to disrupt the well-estab

Tel Aviv - Israel pulled the last of its soldiers out the Gaza Strip early Wednesday morning, over two and a half weeks since they were sent in as part of an intense Israeli operation against militants in the salient, a military spokesman in Tel Aviv said.

The spokesman would not give further details about the withdrawal.

Israeli troops began pulling out the Strip on Sunday evening, hours after Israel announced a unilateral ceasefire, ending its three-week-long Operation Cast Lead.

The operation, launched in response to massive rocket salvos from the salient on population centres in southern Israel, began on December 27 with a week of intense airstrikes.

Ground forces crossed into the Strip on the evening of January 3.

Betah Tikva, Israel  - An Israeli municipality is going to the dogs, literally, in an attempt to crack down on a problem common to every location with a large canine population.

Dr Tika Bar-On, Chief Veterinarian of the city of Petah Tikva, east of Tel Aviv, is setting up a DNA data-base of dogs, which she hopes will help the city track down poop-scoop offenders.

Gaza- The Islamic movement Hamas said Saturday it wants the formation of a national unity government to settle the political crisis which has divided Palestinians.

"Hamas favours a national coalition that can defend the Palestinian people and their rights," said Hamas spokesman Fawzi Barhoom in Gaza.

Barhoom's remarks indicate Hamas is opposed to the idea of a government made up of technocrats that do not include members of the two largest Palestinian groups -
Hamas and the Fatah movement of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Gaza City - Palestinians and international activists plan to challenge Israeli's blockade of the Gaza Strip by navigating a small sailing ship into the Israeli-controlled waters off the Gaza Strip, organizers said Monday.

The vessel is to set sail for Gaza from Cyprus on August 5, according to a statement by the US-based Free Gaza Movement, which is organizing the action along with the pro-Palestinian International Solidarity Movement (ISM) and the US-based Free Gaza Movement.

The activists expect to confront Israeli naval patrol boats when they reach Gaza waters.