* Ashkenazi: Growing possibility of large-scale Gaza op The possibility of a large-scale IDF operation in the Gaza Strip is growing, Chief of Staff Lt. -Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said.

* Mid-East sides begin peace talks Israeli and Palestinian negotiators have started the first formal peace talks in seven years.

* ‘France worried by Iran-Israel tension’ French President Nicolas Sarkozy said in an interview published Wednesday that there is a danger of war erupting over Iran’s nuclear program.

* Beirut: Army chief’s successor killed An early morning bomb attack killed one of Lebanon’s top military generals and at least three others as they drove through a Christian suburb of Beirut.

* Halevy: Israel must be in on US-Iran talks Highlighting new indications that the US government will directly engage with Iran in the near future on all issues including its nuclear program, former Mossad head Efraim Halevy said Tuesday that Israel must ensure that it is a direct participant.

* Palestinians want ‘low-key’ peace talks Israeli officials said the negotiations with the Palestinians on a permanent agreement will commence as scheduled on Wednesday.

* EU to fund pan-European radio station Radio fans will from next year onwards be able to tune in to a new pan-European station.

* Survey: U.S. Jews are losing interest in Israel American Jews are losing interest in Israel, according to figures released Tuesday in the American Jewish Committee 2007 Annual Survey of American Jewish Opinion.

* First names floated for Sarkozy’s EU ‘reflection’ group The first names for who should head a ‘reflection group’ on the EU’s future have started to be floated.

* Russia withdraws from arms treaty Russia has withdrawn from a key Cold War treaty setting limits on troops and weapons across Europe.