Israel has approved the delivery to the Gaza Strip of materials to build 1,200 homes and 18 schools in U.N.-run projects, a defense official told Agence France Presse on Tuesday.

The decision came shortly before the scheduled departure of an international convoy seeking to breach Israel's naval blockade of Gaza and as Israeli officials argued that there is no humanitarian crisis there.

Israel and Turkey have been holding secret talks at several levels to end their diplomatic crisis, Haaretz newspaper reported on Tuesday, quoting a senior Israeli official.

The report, for which there was no confirmation, said an official representing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Feridun Sinirlioglu, undersecretary at the Turkish foreign ministry, were involved in the discussions.

Irish activists who plan to join an international aid flotilla to Gaza called Monday on the Irish government to urge Israel to allow the ships free passage to the Palestinian enclave.

About 25 passengers and crew will travel on the ship "Saoirse" (Gaelic for freedom) in the flotilla of about a dozen vessels involving activists from more than 20 countries, the Irish Ship to Gaza campaign (ISG) announced.

Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour informed on Monday United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon of Lebanon’s opposition to the agreement between Cyprus and Israel over the establishment of an economic zone between them.

He said in a letter to Ban: “The agreement is a violation of Lebanon’s sovereign and economic rights, endangering the security of the region.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman stated on Monday that even though the international community has focused its attention on the developments in the Arab world and negotiations between Palestine and Israel, the real danger in the region comes from Iran,

Confronting this danger should be a priority for Israel’s foreign policy, he added.

Israeli Defense Minister Ehud Barak has said that Syrian President Bashar Assad has lost his legitimacy and the fall of his regime would deal a blow to Iran and Hizbullah.

In an interview with French daily Le Figaro over the weekend, Barak said: “If Assad falls, this would deal a severe blow to Iran and Hizbullah, a significant weakening of the Shiite arc.”

Israel on Sunday launched a major five-day home front defense exercise intended to prepare its population and emergency services to respond to massive missile attacks, the Israeli military said.

Named "Turning Point 5," the exercise involves testing nationwide siren systems and the cellular network, distributing emergency kits, improving coordination and practicing evacuation and shelter procedures.

EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton held talks on Sunday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the international community seeks to relaunch peace talks.

Neither side issued a statement after the afternoon discussions, which came after Ashton met earlier in the week with Israeli Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

Hizbullah has uncovered spies within the ranks of the party’s leadership, creating a shock to both the Shiite party and Israel, the Kuwaiti daily al-Rai reported Sunday.

The newspaper said that the discovery was made around three months ago when Hizbullah intentionally sent “fateful information” to Israelis and put the suspects under tight surveillance.

Speaker Nabih Berri rejected labeling his sacrifice of one of AMAL’s Shiite seats in government for the Sunni figure of Faisal Karami as “charity”, reported the daily An Nahar on Saturday.

He stated: “Karami represented the entire passed Sunni opposition.”