* Israel PM Netanyahu ‘ready for peace talks’ Israel is ready “to immediately begin” peace talks with the Palestinians and Syria, PM Benjamin Netanyahu has said after returning from the US.

* Jerusalem’s population hits 760,800 Despite the trend of emigration from the capital, the population of Jerusalem increased by 1.8 percent to reach 760,800 during 2008.

* Israeli settlers reject Obama call to halt building Jewish settler leaders on Tuesday shrugged off U.S. President Barack Obama’s call for Israel to halt settlement building in the occupied West Bank.

* Ayalon: Iranians are playing with fire “The Iranians are playing with fire,” Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon told Army Radio on Wednesday.

* Turkey receives reassurance on EU membership bid The European Commission as well as the current and upcoming EU presidencies on Tuesday (19 May) reassured Turkey that it is negotiating for full membership of the European Union.

* CIA head: J’lem knows not to attack Iran CIA director Leon Panetta on Wednesday said that Jerusalem knew it needed to coordinate its strategy on Iran with other nations.

* Iran tests missile with range that can hit Israel Iran test-fired a new missile Wednesday it claimed had a range capable of reaching Israel and U.S. bases in the Middle East.

* Deputy PM: ‘Jerusalem Will Not be Divided’ “Jerusalem will remain Israel’s eternal capital forever.” So stated Deputy Prime Minister Silvan Shalom on Wednesday.

* Russia halts plans for Syria fighter sale Russia has halted plans to sell MiG-31 fighters to Syria because of pressure from Israel.

* Gloves come off in EU election campaigns EU election campaigning is beginning to get ugly, with legal challenges over media abuses launched in France and Italy.