Israel's state watchdog on Wednesday sharply criticized Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu over his handling of a 2010 military raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla which left nine Turkish nationals dead.

"In the process of decision making, which was led by the prime minister and under his responsibility, regarding the handling of the (flotilla), there were significant shortcomings," said a report published by State Comptroller Micha Lindenstrauss.

The Vatican's position "is unchanged" on the annexation of east Jerusalem, a Holy See negotiator said Tuesday, amid concern among Palestinian officials about possible concessions.

"The Holy See's position has not changed," negotiator Ettore Balestrero told the Vatican Radio after biannual talks between Israel and the Holy See on the status of Catholic Church property.

Israel will evacuate the entire population of Tel Aviv if it is hit by missiles, particularly if they have unconventional warheads, the commander in charge of Israel's central region told Agence France Presse.

Colonel Adam Zusman, chief of the Home Front Command in Israel's Gush Dan region, which encompasses the city of Tel Aviv and its environs, said an attack on the center of the country would force massive evacuations.

President Michel Suleiman, former Premier Saad Hariri, Transportation and Public Works Minister Ghazi al-Aridi, and Saudi Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Awadh Asiri denied LBC’s report on Monday on their meeting with Saudi King Abdullah in Riyadh held earlier in June, reported al-Mustaqbal daily on Tuesday.

Suleiman adamantly denied to the daily the report, wondering: “I know what I have said … Is it possible for the president of Lebanon to request Saudi mediation with Israel on any matter?”

Palestinian officials voiced concern about possible concessions by the Vatican ahead of talks on Tuesday between Israel and the Holy See on the status of Catholic Church property in Jerusalem.

The Palestinians said a copy of an alleged draft agreement prepared for the talks, which could not be independently verified, reportedly includes an implicit recognition by the Vatican of Israel's annexation of east Jerusalem.

Unknown attackers vandalized Palestinian cars in east Jerusalem early on Monday, slashing tires and spraying pro-settler Hebrew graffiti on the vehicles, in the latest apparent hate crime, Israeli police said.

Police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the incident took place in the Shuafat neighborhood of east Jerusalem, and that nine cars were affected.

Israeli authorities on Monday rounded up dozens of migrants slated for deportation, most of them Africans from South Sudan, as the government weighs tough penalties against Israelis who help illegal aliens.

The Population and Migration Authority said officers arrested 45 migrants from South Sudan, along with three Nigerians, two Ghanaians, two Chinese, one from Ivory Coast, one from the Philippines and one whose nationality is being checked.

Israel Prisons Service said on Monday that a Palestinian prisoner who has been on hunger strike for more than 80 days, had ended his protest, but Palestinian sources, including his lawyer, denied the claim.

"(Mahmoud) Sarsak ended his hunger strike," IPS spokeswoman Sivan Weizman told Agence France Presse, saying he had taken the decision to end his fast after consulting his lawyer and the prison administration.

Israel's deputy military chief has warned that Syria has the biggest chemical weapons stocks in the world and missiles and rockets that can reach any point in Israel.

Maj. Gen. Yair Naveh also said if Syria had the chance, it would "treat us the same way it treats its own people."

The national dialogue resumed its sessions on Monday “amid positive talks” with gatherers agreeing on committing to international resolutions and controlling Lebanon’s border.

The concluding statement said: “We reject the formation of a buffer zone with Syria and the use of Lebanon as an open ground for smuggling arms to Syria.”