* Iranian official: US seeks to undermine clerical regime A top security official accused the United States Thursday of seeking to undermine Iran’s clerical regime.

* Palestinians ‘are learning’ from Iraq A leader of the Al Aqsa Martyrs Brigades said the suicide car bombing that killed nine US soldiers in Iraq on Monday bolstered his belief that the US would soon be defeated and retreat from “Muslim lands.”

* Egypt leans on Hamas to stop Kassams Egypt has threatened to cut off its relations with Hamas unless the movement halts its rocket attacks on Israel.

* Russia in defence warning to US Russia may stop implementing a key defence treaty because of concerns over US plans for a missile shield in Europe, President Vladimir Putin said.

* MK Hasson: Prepare for war with Israel’s Arabs MK Israel Hasson (Yisrael Beiteinu) said on Thursday that in a “normal” country, former Knesset Member Azmi Bishara, would already be behind bars.

* Syria’s ruling party grabs most of the seats in elections The ruling coalition took an overwhelming majority of seats in Syria’s parliamentary elections.

* US House votes for Iraq deadline The US House of Representatives has narrowly approved a bill making further funding of the war in Iraq conditional on a timetable for a US troop pullout.

* Maliki wants Iranian leaders at talks on stabilizing Iraq Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki said Thursday he is willing to go to Iran to convince its leaders to attend an upcoming key regional summit aimed at stabilizing Iraq.

* Israeli anxiety over ‘enemy within’ “There’s one thing in common between Arabs and Jews in Israel,” says Amnon Rubinstein with a wry smile. “They can’t stand each other. It’s sad but its true”.

* Barroso forced to change mini-summit plans European Commission president Jose Manuel Barroso has been forced to scale down plans for a mini-summit next month with select EU leaders.