As a Jewish Israeli Communist running for election under an Arab banner, Dov Khenin is often the butt of jokes. But for some, he is nothing less than a traitor.

In a country where most of the electorate leans to the right, the 57-year-old member of a Communist party that includes both Jewish and Arab lawmakers is used to threats and hate mail.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speech to the U.S. Congress next week will shatter already poor relations with President Barack Obama and test the resilience of U.S.-Israeli ties.

Since Netanyahu and Obama came to power in 2009 they have had a testy relationship, clashing over Israeli settlement building and the moribund Middle East peace process.

Israel's national watchdog Wednesday published a damning report on the conduct of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government during a housing crisis, just as the premier seeks re-election.

It came a week after State Comptroller Joseph Shapira officially rebuked Netanyahu over excessive spending on running his private and public residences in a separate report ahead of the March 17 snap vote.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has rejected a proposed meeting with U.S. Senate Democrats during his upcoming Washington visit, saying it would fuel "mis-perception of partisanship" over his planned address to Congress.

Netanyahu's decline, confirmed in a letter to Senators Dick Durbin and Dianne Feinstein seen by AFP, cast further attention Wednesday on an already contentious visit by the Israeli leader that has severely strained ties with President Barack Obama's administration.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's acceptance of an invitation to address the U.S. Congress, without the blessing of the White House, is destructive to U.S.-Israeli ties, a senior official said Tuesday.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Tuesday he would do "everything I can" to prevent a nuclear deal between world powers and Iran, a week ahead of traveling to Washington.

Netanyahu's government has always opposed a deal with Tehran over its nuclear program, and he is to address the U.S. Congress on March 3 on the subject, in a move that has angered the White House.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Tuesday hailed the verdict of a New York court which found the Palestinian leadership responsible for six deadly attacks in Jerusalem that killed Americans.

The decision clearly showed the Palestinian leadership was responsible for the bloodshed, exposing its move to join the International Criminal Court to sue Israel as a sham, Netanyahu said in a statement issued just hours after the verdict.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's claim that Iran was a year away from making a nuclear bomb was contradicted by his secret services, according to reports Monday citing leaked documents.

The inconsistency was revealed in a cache of communications between South African intelligence services and their global partners -- including Israel's Mossad and America's CIA -- that were leaked to Qatar-based news network Al-Jazeera and Britain's The Guardian daily.

Iran is seeking to open a "third front" against Israel using Hizbullah fighters on the Syrian Golan Heights, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Sunday.

Netanyahu said Tehran's alleged attempts to entrench itself along Israel's borders was one of the biggest emerging security threats facing Tel Aviv.

Israel goes to the polls next month facing Middle East turmoil and growing diplomatic isolation, but campaigning has been dominated by the lifestyle of the prime minister and his wife.

One might be forgiven for thinking that the conduct of Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara is the most important issue facing Israel.