Israel

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu Monday proposed 3 billion shekels (0.8 billion dollars) of cuts to Israel's defence budget as the cabinet prepared to vote on a controversial austerity budget for 2013-14, dpa reported.

"I believe that the path that I propose is the right balance between the needs of our economy and our defence needs," he said, noting the need to streamline operations while still providing enough funding for key projects, like the Iron Dome missile defence system.

Iran Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi has severely censured Israel's airstrike against Syria, Press TV reported.

In a telephone conversation on Sunday, Salehi and Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem discussed the latest developments in the Arab country.

The Iranian and Syrian ministers exchanged views on ways to settle the crisis in Syria through peaceful channels and prepare the grounds for holding national dialogue as the only way to end months of unrest in the country.

The Israeli Embassy issued 6,000 visas to Kazakhs in 2012, the Israeli Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador to Astana Tasman Eliyahu told Trend today.

"Our embassy issues visas to about 6,000 Kazakhs per year, 40 percent of them plan to be treated in Israeli medical clinics or they are Kazakh doctors looking to gain the experience with complex operations," he said.

He said that a lot of Israeli surgeons come to Kazakhstan to carry out operations.

"The remaining 60 percent fall to tourists willing to see something in Israel," he said.

The Azerbaijani Foreign Minister's visit to Israel promotes good relations between the two countries, Israeli President Shimon Peres said at a meeting with Elmar Mammadyarov, the Israeli edition of the Jerusalem Post reported on Monday.

"This is a historic visit," Peres said.

Mammadyarov arrived at the head of the delegation consisting of five members of the Jewish community and MPs.

In turn, Mammadyarov said Azerbaijan is an independent and prosperous country with a multicultural society. Baku, according to him, is a firm believer in good neighborly relations.