* Ayalon: Threat of striking Iranian nuclear facilities not a bluff Israel is not bluffing when it warns that all options are still on the table and that it may strike Iranian nuclear facilities.

* Iran tested advanced nuclear warhead design – secret report The UN’s nuclear watchdog has asked Iran to explain evidence suggesting that Iranian scientists have experimented with an advanced nuclear warhead design.

* Abbas withdraws from presidential race Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas announced on Thursday that he has “no desire” to run in the presidential election in the PA territories.

* EU military chiefs nervous about Lisbon Treaty implications EU military chiefs are nervous that their advice will not carry the same weight once the new Lisbon Treaty is in place and that the planned diplomatic service will not contain enough experienced military personnel.

* US major held after base shooting A US major is under guard at a Texas military base as officials investigate what prompted a shooting attack that left 13 people dead.

* UN assembly votes for probes of Gaza war charges In a move that angered Israel, the U.N. General Assembly voted on Thursday to urge the Jewish state and Palestinians to investigate war crimes charges leveled in a controversial U.N. report on the Gaza war.

* US informed Israel of arms ship The Iranian arms ship seized by the Israel Defense Forces was discovered thanks to American activity.

* Secularism ‘means fall in births’ Europe is facing a population crisis because of attacks on religion by secular writers, Britain’s chief rabbi has said.

* EU pessimistic about Copenhagen climate change deal Europe has given up hope that a binding global treaty on climate change can be achieved at the UN climate talks in Copenhagen in December.

* Study Warns Arabs Could Outnumber Jews in Jerusalem The demographic balance in Israel’s capital of Jerusalem is shifting and Arabs could outnumber Jews there in the not-distant future.