Jerusalem, Feb 2 : In a new study, an archaeologist has found evidence that sheds new light on the venerable question that whether the term `King Solomon's mines' is a misnomer or not.

Professor Thomas Levy, of the University of California (UC) San Diego, did the study.

The term `King Solomon's Mines' was made famous by a 19th century novel of the same name - although, until now, no such mines have been proven to exist during the time period mentioned in the Bible.

Now, Levy, a UC archeologist, has found evidence that sheds new light on the venerable question of whether King David and his son King Solomon controlled the copper industry in the Kingdom of Edom, which is present-day southern Jordan.

Jerusalem  - Israel's decision to respond to the expulsion of the Israeli ambassador to Caracas by expelling Venezuelan diplomats was made against the advice of top Foreign Ministry officials, the Jerusalem Post daily reported Thursday.

Israel ordered the Venezuelan embassy closed on Wednesday.

Jerusalem - Israel's Chief Rabbinate has broken off indefinitely official ties with the Vatican to protest the pope's decision to lift the excommunication on a known Holocaust-denier, the Jerusalem Post daily reported Wednesday.

The Chief Rabbinate also cancelled a meeting scheduled for March 2-4 in Rome with the Holy See's Commission for Religious Relations with the Jews.

Jerusalem, Jan. 28 : The Israeli Air Force (IAF) has reportedly destroyed a number of arms smuggling tunnels under the Philadelphi Corridor.

There were no immediate reports of injury, but hundreds of people reportedly fled the area, The Jerusalem Post reports.

The IDF spokesman confirmed the strikes in an announcement, saying they were in response to the bomb attack against a military patrol along the border with the Gaza Strip on Tuesday morning in which one warrant officer was killed and three others were wounded, including one severely.

Jerusalem  - Israel's Supreme Court overturned Wednesday a decision by the country's Central Elections Committee (CEC) banning two Arab-Israeli parties from competing in next months Knesset elections.

The nine-judge panel accepted the appeal filed on behalf of the United Arab List (UAL) and by the Balad party against the CEC ruling earlier this month, which had claimed that since the two parties did not recognise Israel as a Jewish homeland, they could not run in the February 10 elections.