Media personality-turned-politician Yair Lapid revealed some of his political views on Thursday, indicating during a Facebook exchange that he opposed the division of Jerusalem, saying that the capital was more than just a place. He also said that Jerusalem was part of his history and national ethos and that he thought it belonged to the people of Israel and not to anyone else. Lapid also promised to abrogate the Tal Law and replace it with a state national-service agency.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scored a convincing victory in the Likud primaries held Tuesday, winning more than 70% of the vote. Netanyahu commented after the vote by expressing that he would continue to show responsible leadership and take the lead in education, the economy, and security for the sake of all citizens in the State of Israel. Meanwhile, members of the campaign headquarters of Netanyahu's rival, Moshe Feiglin, received the results with excitement, and especially the voting figures beyond the Green Line, where the hard-line candidate won convincingly in several communities.

Turnout for the Likud party's primary elections was unusually low on Tuesday. By mid-afternoon, only 14 percent of eligible voters had cast their ballot to elect a new party leader and central committee. Approximately 4,500 people had voted by early afternoon while125,000 Likud members are eligible to vote, in more than 150 countrywide polling stations. The party's current leader, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was expected to win easily against his only challenger, extreme rightist Moshe Feiglin.

After exploratory talks aimed at relaunching negotiations ended in a deadlock, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that Peace prospects with the Palestinians are looking poor. Netanyahu's comments came after Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas told reporters in Ramallah that Israel was to blame for the failure of the recent round of talks, to relaunch direct talks. Abbas claimed that during talks mediated by Jordan in recent weeks, Israel had presented an unclear position on security matters and on the question of borders between Israel and a future Palestinian state.

The former Military Intelligence Chief and Head of the Institute for National Security Studies Amos Yadlin said on Thursday that changes in Syria bear strategic benefits for Israel. The former MI chief also expressed hope that Iran will become part of the process- He said that The Arab Spring was cause for concern in Israel and that Israel was willing to face the risks alongside the hope it arises.

fter a four-year wait, the planners of Rawabi received Israel's permit to pave an access road to the new Palestinian town. Rawabi is slated to become the first Palestinian city to be built in the territories since 1967. The town is expected to offer some 12,000 housing units, a 1,000 of which are already under construction. Planners expect the new residents, most of them middle class Palestinians, to move to their new homes at the end of 2013. The plan is to make Rawabi a modern, Western-style city- equipped with public parks, shopping malls, and a country club

A bitter confrontation broke out between the head of the Israeli negotiating team Yitzhak Molcho and chief Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat during their meeting In Jordan on Saturday. Erekat and Molcho exchanged harsh words in front of their stunned Jordanian hosts, with the argument reaching its peak when Prime Minister Netanyahu's envoy asked to present Israel's position on security arrangements. Erekat refused to let him present the Israeli stance, and Molcho responded by leveling harsh criticism at Erekat.

Israel is turning a blind eye to the establishment of two Palestinian Authority police stations on the border of Jerusalem as it considers a series of goodwill gestures to President Mahmoud Abbas. The stations were established in territory marked as Area B, which according to the Oslo Accords is land under Israeli security control and Palestinian civilian control.

The Palestinians' top Muslim cleric is facing harsh Israeli criticism for quoting a religious text that includes passages about killing Jews. Mufti Mohammed Hussein said his remarks at a rally for Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' Fatah movement last week were taken out of context and that he didn't incite people to kill Jews. The comments from the rally were posted to YouTube by an Israeli watchdog group tracking incitement.

Prime Minister Netanyahu will be going to Cyprus on February 16 in what is the first-ever visit by an Israeli prime minister to the island country. Netanyahu hopes to increase cooperation with Cyprus in underwater drilling for natural gas in the Eastern Mediterranean, as well as security cooperation in the wake of the crisis in Israel's relations with Turkey.

Kadima Chairwoman Tzipi Livni officially announced that elections for the new party chair will be held at the end of the Knesset's winter session, on March 27. The decision's timing is said to be connected to Yair Lapid and Noam Shait's recent decision to enter politics. Livni said she will seek reelection adding she was confident that she will win. Livni will be facing MK Shaul Mofaz, who has declared on several occasions that he will seek the party's chairmanship. Mofaz has a growing support base within the party, and is reportedly already campaigning for the position.

Jerusalemites weigh in on the entry of Noam Shalit and Yair Lapid to Israel's political arena.

The European Union has decided to pursue a series of steps which may undermine Israel's control of Area C in the West Bank. In an official document, it harshly criticizes Israel's policies in the West Bank, claiming they have caused the Palestinian population in Area C to shrink significantly and recede into enclaves. The document states that Europe will support road, water, infrastructure, municipal, educational and medical projects in the area. Area C makes up 62% of the West Bank, but the Palestinians make up only 5.8% of its population.

Noam Shalit, announced his intention to run for a place on the Israel Labor Party list for the next Knesset. A member of the Israel Labor Party since 1996, he informed Israel Labor Party chairperson, Shelly Yachimovich, of his final decision the same day. Shalit says he aspires to give back to society, as much as he can, and for this reason is running for the candidacy.

Noam Shalit, announced on Monday that he intends to run for a place on the Israel Labor Party list for the next Knesset. Noam Shalit, who has been a member of the Israel Labor Party since 1996, informed Israel Labor Party chairperson, Shelly Yachimovich, of the decision. Yachimovitch congratulated Shalit, and said that the battle of Noam Shalit and his family to free GIlad started as a private battle, but turned into a battle that contained within it all the base values of Israeli society: Solidarity, Mutual support and Zionism.