* US chief of staff: Iran strike could destabilize Middle East Admiral Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff warned Thursday that a strike on Iran could be “very, very destabilizing” and have unintended consequences for the Middle East, adding that diplomacy was crucial.

* US preparing for possible Iran conflict The US does not want to see confrontation with Iran but is still preparing its military for that possibility.

* J’lem rejects 2-year peace deadline Israel doesn’t want to see deadlines imposed on the negotiating process with the Palestinians, even as the US is endorsing the idea of a two-year time frame.

* Inscription indicates Kingdom of Israel existed in the 10th century BCE A breakthrough in the research of the Hebrew scriptures has shed new light on the period in which the Bible was written.

* Settlement activists meet to debate how to fight the freeze “Don’t serve in the army. Don’t pay taxes,” Eviathar H. Ben-Zedeff said on Thursday night as he and other right-wing activists and settlers debated the best strategy to combat the 10-month moratorium on new settlement construction.

* Al Qaida targeting Palestinian camps Al Qaida is reportedly targeting Palestinian refugee camps for indoctrination and recruitment.

* Churches Attacked in Malaysian ‘Allah’ Dispute Three Christian churches were attacked with firebombs Friday as tensions rose in a dispute over whether Christians could use the word “Allah” in this largely Muslim nation.

* Iranian Students: Khamenei’s Family Has Fled to Russia Pro-democracy activists in Iran reported Wednesday that family members of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei have been secretly flown to Russia.

* Blair to Haaretz: Terror is one struggle with many arenas Without a doubt, it was Iraq that ended his career at 10 Downing Street.

* Van Rompuy makes debut at Turkey-sceptic gathering Herman Van Rompuy on Thursday (7 January) delivered his first official speech as president of the EU council at a party gathering of Bavarian conservatives.