* Iranian defense minister: Israel too weak to attack Israel is too weak and vulnerable to attack Iran, Defense Minister Brigadier General Mostafa Mohammad Najjar was quoted.

* Lebanese factions at Qatar talks Lebanon’s rival political leaders are holding talks in Qatar aimed at ending the sectarian conflict which left at least 65 people dead in recent days.

* US willing to mediate between Israel, Syria The US administration has asked Turkey to boost its efforts to advance the talks between Israel and Syria.

* Bush meets Palestinian president US President George W Bush has begun talks with Arab leaders in Sharm el-Sheikh, Egypt, by meeting Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas.

* Russia: A totalitarian regime in thrall to a Tsar who’s creating the new Facist empire As ex-President Putin settles in to his new role as Prime Minister, he has every reason to congratulate himself.

* Quake effort resumes after panic Rescue efforts are resuming in Beichuan in China, after the entire city was evacuated amid fears that it could be engulfed by a river bursting its banks.

* ‘Bin Laden’ call targets Israel A new audio message purported to be from Osama Bin Laden has called for Muslims to continue the fight to liberate Palestinian lands.

* Egyptian press blasts Bush over ‘Torah-inspired’ Knesset speech Egypt’s state-owned press opened fire Saturday on U.S. President George W. Bush as he arrived for talks with regional leaders at the conclusion of a five-day Mideast tour.

* Senior Israeli officials warn of Hamas’ growing military might Gaza’s ruling Hamas is rapidly improving its military capacity and could soon endanger hundreds of thousands more Israelis with its missiles.

* Bush ‘especially moved’ by visit to Israel During his weekly radio address to the White House Radio, US President George W. Bush spoke about his trip to the Middle East.

* Dramatic new support for Red-Dead plan A group of Israeli and foreign businessmen and bankers are finally ready to build a $3 billion canal between the Red and Dead Seas.

* Wildlife populations ‘plummeting’ Between a quarter and a third of the world’s wildlife has been lost since 1970, according to data compiled by the Zoological Society of London.

* Blair: New PA troops will be far better The Palestinian security personnel currently being trained in Jordan are being prepared far more effectively than those that so signally failed to resist Hamas’s military takeover of the Gaza Strip.

* California lifts gay marriage ban California’s top court has ruled that a state law banning marriage between same-sex couples is unconstitutional.

* US agrees to help Saudi Arabia develop civilian nuclear program President George W. Bush and King Abdullah formalized new cooperation on Friday between the kingdom and the United States on a range of topics.

* Burma death toll jumps to 78,000 The official death toll for Burma’s cyclone disaster has jumped to almost 78,000 people.

* ‘Holy war until Palestine liberated’ Al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden said in a new audio message released Friday that the terrorist organization will continue its holy war against Israel.

* Israel, US see need for ‘tangible action’ on Iran The United States and Israel agree on the need for “tangible action” to prevent Iran from developing nuclear weapons.

* Mass burials for China victims Chinese authorities are burying hundreds of people killed in a devastating earthquake in mass graves.

* The enemies within Sad and tired, wearing shabby clothes and with tears in his eyes, Druze leader Walid Jumblatt stood on the veranda of his luxurious home.

* Bush: Hamas and Hizbullah will fail US President George W. Bush on Thursday criticized the deadly tactics of extremist groups such as al-Qaida, Hizbullah and Hamas.

* Abbas pledge on ‘catastrophe’ day Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas says he is determined to end Israel’s occupation of Palestinian land, labelling it “mankind’s shame”.

* Hezbollah ‘to restore normality’ The Hezbollah opposition has pledged to return normality to Lebanon, a week after battles erupted between the movement and government supporters.

* From Beirut to Teheran Hizbullah’s recent takeover in West Beirut and its attacks in the central Lebanese mountains could lead to regional escalation.

* China quake death toll could rise to 50,000 China warned the death toll from this week’s earthquake could soar to 50,000.

* Barak: My gut reaction is to respond Despite the urge to respond harshly to rocket attacks from the Gaza Strip, Israel should bide its time and wait for the right opportunity to strike Hamas.

* Russia and Europe may team up for moon flights Russia and Europe are teaming up to build a spaceship which will fly astronauts to the moon.

* ‘We mustn’t stumble on the way to peace with the Palestinians’ The creation of a Palestinian state should bring an end to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

* Google co-founder lauds Israeli innovation in tech, environment Google co-founder Sergey Brin on Thursday lauded Israeli innovations in technology and environmental efforts.

* Poland to beef up European military club Poland has opted to become a full member of the EU and NATO-linked military club, Eurocorps.

* Bush begins tour of Middle East US President George W Bush has arrived in Israel to take part in celebrations for the country’s 60th anniversary.

* Kissinger: Iran threat will not go away A nuclear armed Iran threatens not only the existence of Israel but the viability of the international community.

* China quake toll close to 15,000 Nearly 15,000 people died in the devastating earthquake that hit China’s Sichuan province.

* Bush: Iran behind Lebanon instability US President George W. Bush, following a nearly two-hour meeting with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, said it was clear that Iran was behind the current instability.

* Vatican astronomer cites possibility of extraterrestrial ‘brothers’ The Vatican’s chief astronomer says there is no conflict between believing in God and in the possibility of extraterrestrial “brothers” perhaps more evolved than humans.

* ‘Celebrations won’t stop Israel’s annihilation’ Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said Wednesday that Israel is dying and that its 60th anniversary celebrations are an attempt to prevent its “annihilation.”

* PMW: Hatred of US a Pillar of PA Ideology The Palestinian Media Watch (PMW) watchdog group has released a report warning that hatred of the United States is a pillar of the Palestinian Authority’s ideology.

* Poll: Abbas’ popularity has slipped dramatically since January The approval rating of the Palestinian government in the West Bank has dropped 13 percentage points since January.

* Brussels outlines plan for new Mediterranean club The European Commission has begun to look at the possible set-up for the planned Mediterranean union.

* Secret UFO files released by UK government Britain’s Ministry of Defense has released files on UFO sightings dating back to the 1970s, including witness accounts and the government’s response. (See what Jimmy says about UFOs.)

By: Hillel Fendel – Arutz Sheva

Israel and Europe celebrated their respective milestones on Monday in the “European Village” in Rishon LeTzion, Israel’s 4th-largest city.

Read more….

By: Seth J. Frantzman – The Jerusalem Post

On a pleasant Thursday in December 1948, Emilio Traubner, a correspondent for The Palestine Post, found himself near Abu Kabir, not far from Jaffa. Trenches and expended cartridges were strewn about, reminders of the fighting between units of the Irgun and local Arab forces that had taken place there seven months previously.

Read more….

* ‘Hizbullah is pushing Lebanon towards a Khomeini-style of rule’ South Lebanese Army Gen. Antoine Lahad, 81, currently living in Europe, to where he fled more than eight years ago after Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon, gave an interview to Israel Radio.

* Search for China quake survivors A massive search and rescue operation is under way in south-western China after one of the most powerful earthquakes in decades.

* Blair unveils new ‘West Bank package’ Quartet envoy Tony Blair on Tuesday unveiled a package of steps designed to allow greater movement in the West Bank.

* Ahmadinejad rejects Saudi charges Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, has said that the comments by the Saudi foreign minister that Tehran interfered in the recent crisis in Lebanon are false and made in anger.

* Chavez slams Merkel, suggests ideological link to Hitler Hugo Chavez accused German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s party of sharing the same ideals as Adolf Hitler.

* 2,100-year-old Isaiah Scroll on rare public display for two months For the past 40 years, the 2,100-year-old Isaiah Scroll has been kept in a dark room with temperature and humidity controls, far from the public eye.

* Police seize documents from gov’t ministry in PM probe Detectives from the National Fraud Unit entered the offices of the Ministry of Industry, Trade, and Labor in Jerusalem on Tuesday and confiscated documents.

* Bush to discuss oil prices with Saudi king President Bush said Monday that when he meets Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah later this week, he’ll bring up the effect that high oil prices are having on the U.S. and global economies.

* Peres: Iran is a relic of the past Iran represents the past, while Israel represents the future, President Shimon Peres said Tuesday evening.

* Europe Celebrates Israel’s Birthday Israel and Europe celebrated their respective milestones on Monday in the “European Village” in Rishon LeTzion, Israel’s 4th-largest city.

* Thousands dead in Chinese quake A powerful earthquake has killed at least 8,500 people in China’s south-western Sichuan province, up to 5,000 of them in just one county.

* Putin announces cabinet line-up Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin is proposing the names of ministers in his new government, which will work with President Dmitry Medvedev.

* Heavy fighting breaks out in northern Lebanon Heavy fighting broke out Monday between supporters and opponents of the Lebanese government in the second-largest city, Tripoli, where the two sides battled with rocket-propelled grenades, heavy machine guns and mortars, security officials and residents said.

* Rightist rabbis urge Bush not to meet Olmert during Israel visit Right-wing rabbis across the nation on Monday urged U.S. President George W. Bush, who is scheduled to arrive in Israel this week, not to meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert in light of the criminal allegations against him currently being investigated.

* Olmert: ‘We’ll Give Up a Large Part of the Territories’ Newsweek’s Lally Weymouth talked with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert about important issues facing Israel in an exclusive interview published on Thursday, Israel’s Independence Day.

* Israel on alert as sectarian clashes rage across Lebanon for sixth day Israel’s defense establishment has raised its intelligence alert in case Hezbollah decides to exploit its hold on Lebanon to wage an armed conflict south of the Litani River, Army Radio reported on Monday.

* Holy See asks Israel to help protect Christians in Mideast Pope Benedict XVI urged Israel on Monday to help the dwindling Christian community in the Middle East by assuring them of a secure future in the region

* Serbia’s pro-Europe forces claim election win The European Union is set to breathe a sign of relief as the pro-Western alliance led by President Boris Tadic won Sunday’s parliamentary elections, but the country’s nationalists have warned that they too can hammer out a coalition government.

* ‘Livni would beat Netanyahu, Barak’ If Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni were to replace Prime Minsiter Ehud Olmert as Kadima’s leader she would win a future election against Binyamin Netanyahu’s Likud and Defense Minister Ehud Barak’s Labor party, according to a poll published by Yediot Aharonot on Monday.

* Strange bedfellows On a pleasant Thursday in December 1948, Emilio Traubner, a correspondent for The Palestine Post, found himself near Abu Kabir, not far from Jaffa.

* Hizbullah to withdraw gunmen from streets of Beirut Hizbullah TV announced Saturday that opposition forces will withdraw all their gunmen from Beirut in compliance with an army request.

* Moscow echoes with nostalgia as military parades through Red Square Nuclear missile launchers and columns of tanks rolled through Red Square on Friday.

* Tentative Deal on Truce in Sadr City Shiite leaders in Parliament and leaders of the movement of the Shiite cleric Moktada al-Sadr agreed to the outlines of a truce early Saturday.

* Sporadic aid trickles into Burma Deliveries of aid to Burma to help cyclone victims are arriving sporadically, as aid agencies continue to face obstacles set by the regime.

* Iran blames Israel, US for Lebanon crisis A spokesman for the Iranian Foreign Ministry blamed Israel and the US for fueling tensions in Lebanon.

* U.S. looks set to offer Israel powerful new radar The Bush administration appears set to offer Israel a powerful radar system that could greatly boost Israeli defenses against enemy ballistic missiles.

* Egypt opens Rafah crossing for 3 days Egyptian authorities have ordered a three-day opening of the Rafah border crossing on Saturday to allow Palestinians to cross into Egypt from the Gaza Strip for medical treatment.

* Russian fury at NATO ‘air attacks’ Russia’s air force chief has accused NATO fighters escorting Russian bombers on patrol flights over neutral waters of violating safety rules.

* Last gasp for Olmert’s political career? The overwhelming view in Israel on Friday, just hours after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert declared his innocence in a bribery investigation involving a Long Island businessman.

* MKs: No majority for early elections The day after Prime Minister Ehud Olmert announced that he would quit if the latest investigation against him leads to an indictment, lawmakers estimated Friday that there would not be a majority in the Knesset.

* Ahmadinejad: Israel a ‘stinking corpse’ Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Thursday that the state of Israel is a “stinking corpse” that is destined to disappear.

* UN to resume Burma food flights The World Food Program says it will resume aid flights to Burma on Saturday, despite a row over the local authorities impounding deliveries.

* ‘Messer will complicate Olmert’s case’ Uri Messer’s testimony will cause difficulties for Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

* Gun battles break out in Beirut Gun fire broke out in downtown Beirut on Thursday after Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said recent government actions amount to “a declaration of open war.”

* PA: Olmert misleading the public Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is misleading the Israeli public by declaring that “significant progress” has been achieved in the peace talks with the Palestinians.

* German foreign minister favours EU army Germany’s foreign minister, Frank-Walter Steinmeier, has indicated he would like to see a European army established.

* US pushing hard for border agreement Israel and the Palestinians need to “draw a map and get it done,” according to US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

* Who’s pulling Lebanon’s strings? The key to solving the sectarian clashes between Hezbollah fighters and Sunni Muslim gunmen loyal to the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora in the Lebanese capital Beirut can only be found in the context of a larger Middle East solution.

* ‘We won’t cut Iran or Hizbullah ties’ Syrian President Bashar Assad rejected Israel’s demand that Syria cut its ties with Iran and Hizbullah.

* Serbs go to polls divided over EU path Serbian voters will go to the polls on Sunday (11 May) for what is being billed as decisive elections for the country’s EU future.