* Mass European Rally for Israel A mass rally-demonstration entitled “For the truth, for Israel” will be held in Rome this Thursday.

* Iraq increases oil reserves by 24% Iraq has raised the level of the oil reserves it claims to own by 24% in its first revision since Saddam Hussein fell from power.

* Netanyahu: Stop Picking on Settlers; They Deserve a Normal Life Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu voiced support for one of the most viciously maligned populations in the world – the Jews who live in Judea and Samaria.

* Iraq’s Sunni-backed bloc united against al-Maliki A Sunni-backed bloc that came first in elections seven months ago is united against the bid by Shiite Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki to remain in office.

* Ex-Moscow Mayor Mocks Russian Democracy, Vows to Fight Yury Luzhkov, whom President Dmitry Medvedev fired as Moscow mayor last week, disparaged the state of democracy in Russia.

* IDF Chief of Staff Visits Bethlehem IDF Chief of Staff Gabi Asheknazi visited the Palestinian Authority-controlled city of Bethlehem on Sunday and met with senior commanders of the PA armed police forces.

* Muslim Journalist: Jerusalem Arabs Prefer Israeli Sovereignty Jerusalem’s Arab population prefers Israeli sovereignty to the prospect of living under Palestinian Authority rule.

* Japan joins US, UK in issuing Europe travel terror alert In blow to fragile European tourism, Foreign Ministry in Tokyo warns citizens to be cautious in public due to possible terror attack by al-Qaida.

* Behind the Crisis in Obama’s Middle East Peace Effort US diplomats scurried around Middle Eastern capitals over the weekend as President Barack Obama’s efforts to broker a Middle East peace agreement risked collapse.

* Lebanese See Ahmadinejad’s Visit as Jab at ‘Peace’ Talks Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is expected to make his first official visit to Lebanon as Iranian President on Wednesday, October 13.