* US links Iran to attack in Iraq The US military in Iraq has accused Iran of orchestrating an attack that killed five US soldiers and of using Lebanese militants to train insurgents.

* ‘Iran uses Hizbullah as ‘proxy’ to organize Iraq insurgents’ The United States said Monday that Hizbullah was operating as an Iranian proxy in Iraq to arm Shi’ite militants.

* Putin offers alternative missile defense plan Vladimir Putin, fiercely opposed to U.S. plans for missile defense in Europe.

* Sneh: IDF lacks resources to fight Iran Calling for greater and tougher sanctions against Teheran, outgoing Deputy Defense Minister Ephraim Sneh Monday criticized the way Israel was preparing for the Iranian nuclear threat.

* Summit debates future of Africa African Union leaders are to discuss the idea of a pan-African government, on the second day of their summit.

* Israel scraps Mughrabi Gate bridge plan In a dramatic about-face, controversial plans to construct a major new bridge to the Mughrabi Gate adjacent to Jerusalem’s Western Wall directly through an archeological garden abutting the Temple Mount have been nixed.

* Iraqi cabinet backs draft oil law The Iraqi government has approved an amended draft law on how to share the country’s oil wealth, officials say.

* We must restore IDF’s deterrence, says Barak “We must once again restore the IDF’s deterrence, because there is no other way,” Defense Minister Ehud Barak said.

* PA launches clampdown on Hamas ‘sleeper cells’ In an effort to quash Hamas in the West Bank, Fatah security forces recently arrested dozens of members of the Islamic group.

* Barroso warns member states against unravelling treaty deal The European Commission and the newly minted Portuguese EU presidency has dismissed Poland’s attempts to reopen a key part of a new agreement on a future union treaty.