* ‘Mideast atomic programs apocalyptic’ Egyptian and Saudi Arabian intentions to begin or revive their nuclear programs in the face of Iran’s continued race toward nuclear power present an “apocalyptic scenario” for Israel as well as for the rest of the world.

* Hizbullah: We’re preparing for upcoming war Naim Kassem, Hizbullah leader Hassan Nasrallah’s deputy, described a training exercise the group conducted at the beginning of this week as preparation for the next war with Israel.

* ‘Israel planning large Gaza operation’ Israel has informed PA authorities in Ramallah of its intention to send the IDF into the Gaza Strip in order to regain control of the Philadelphi Corridor.

* Top Hamas official: We’ll seize control of West Bank if Israel withdraws Hamas, which seized control of the Gaza Strip in June, would take over the West Bank if Israel pulled out of the territory.

* PA agrees to disband terrorist groups before statehood Israeli negotiators on Friday reported significant progress in talks with Palestinians Friday.

* Interfaith Leadership Council Acknowledges ‘Occupation’ U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has received a special blessing from religious leaders of the Jewish, Christian and Islamic faiths.

* ‘Israel may strike Iran’ – US Wednesday’s statement by Iran’s President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad that Iran has 3,000 working uranium-enriching centrifuges could trigger an Israeli military strike on Iran’s nuclear facilities.

* Israel escalates campaign against IAEA Israel escalated its campaign Thursday against the winner of the 2005 Nobel Peace Prize Mohamed ElBaradei, head of the international nuclear watchdog, by describing him as a “danger to world peace”.

* Frattini seeks to apply new EU treaty rules before 2009 Although the EU’s new Lisbon Treaty is meant to be ratified only by 2009, justice commissioner Franco Frattini has said he wants to act as if the treaty is already in force.

* Russia ‘slow’ to act on anti-Semitism A leading US-based Jewish organization criticized Russian authorities Friday for a “slow” response to xenophobia and anti-Semitism.

* US fears Israeli strike against Iran over latest nuclear claim A claim by President Ahmadinejad that Iran has 3,000 working uranium-enriching centrifuges sent a tremor across the world yesterday.

* IDF Chief: Jerusalem is Why We’re Here At a ceremony honoring the 40th anniversary of the liberation and reunification of Jerusalem this week, IDF Chief of Staff Lt.-Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi said that Jerusalem is the “raison d’etre” of our national existence in Israel.

* Mehdi Army accused of killing spree in Iraq shrine city Police Thursday accused the Mehdi Army militia of radical cleric Moqtada Al Sadr of carrying out a four-year killing spree in Iraq’s central shrine city of Karbala that left hundreds dead.

* Musharraf vows polls in February Pakistan will hold elections before 15 February, President Pervez Musharraf has announced.

* Ben Eliezer: ‘The disengagement from Gaza was a big mistake’ The disengagement from Gaza “was a mistake” National Infrastructure Minister Binyamin Ben Eliezer told Non-Stop Radio (Radio Lelo Hafsaka) on Thursday.

* Israel minister: Sack ElBaradei A senior Israeli minister has called for the sacking of Mohamed ElBaradei, the head of the UN nuclear watchdog.

* Israeli intelligence: Abbas is too weak Army Radio reported Thursday morning that Israel’s intelligence community considers Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas a powerless leader.

* New ‘disaster’ movie warns world of oil apocalypse Oil is ‘the bloodstain of the earth’s economy’ and will soon trigger a global conflict that will cost millions of lives.

* Olmert voted most corrupt politician Even after sharing his personal health problems with the general public, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is still seen as the country’s most corrupt government minister.

* China angrily denounces Games “Bible ban” report China reacted angrily on Thursday to reports in the European press that the government would ban Bibles during next year’s Beijing Olympics.

* Syria reiterates demand to put Golan on Annapolis summit agenda Syria is holding firm on its demand that the Golan Heights be among the items on the agenda of the upcoming Middle East peace conference.

* Ahmadinejad: 3,000 centrifuges running Iran has achieved a landmark, with 3,000 centrifuges fully working in its controversial uranium enrichment program.

* Russia suspends arms treaty Russia’s parliament has voted to suspend Moscow’s support for a key treaty limiting the deployment of armed forces along its border with Europe.

* Gillerman: UN human rights panel is a ‘monster’ Ambassador to the UN Dan Gillerman slammed the UN Human Rights Council on Tuesday for failing to deal with human rights violations around the world.

* Defiant Iraq Kurds sign seven new oil contracts Iraq’s Kurdish region has defiantly signed seven new foreign oil deals in a move sure to anger Baghdad.

* Beijing ‘planning space station’ China intends to launch its own space station in 2020, according to one of the country’s leading space experts.

* Peace Now says West Bank settlements still growing Israel is expanding most of its West Bank settlements despite a commitment to stop doing so as it tries to resume peace talks with the Palestinians.

* Oil passes $98 on weaker dollar The ever-weakening dollar and fresh worries about winter fuel supplies have sent US oil prices past $98 a barrel.

* Israel reports jump in Jerusalem Arabs seeking Israeli citizenship The number of East Jerusalem residents seeking Israeli citizenship has risen sharply in recent months.

* Euro climbs to fresh dollar peak The euro has hit a fresh high against the dollar, as negative views of the US economic outlook continue to take their toll on the US currency.

* Top IDF Intel officer: Iran could have nuclear weapons by 2009 Iran could have nuclear weapons by 2009, the Head of Military Intelligence’s Research Division, Brig. -Gen. Yossi Baidatz told the Knesset Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee.

* Landmark Criminal Suit Against Waqf for Temple Mount Destruction A group of 150 Israeli citizens have filed a class action suit against the Moslems who run the Temple Mount.

* Syria rejects Annapolis invitation Syria has rejected the latest appeals from Israel to attend the US-sponsored Annapolis peace conference.

* EU lays out anti-terror proposals The European Commission is proposing anti-terrorism measures that include the collection of extensive flight data and tighter internet laws.

* Mashaal: ME summit US ‘distraction’ for war with Iran The leader of Hamas on Monday dismissed a US-sponsored Mideast peace conference planned for later this year.

* Historic Saudi visit to Vatican King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has met Pope Benedict XVI at the Vatican – the first audience by the head of the Roman Catholic Church with a Saudi monarch.

* Bush vows to help Turkey tackle PKK The Turkish prime minister has said the Turkish army will go ahead with an operation against Kurdish fighters in northern Iraq.

* Fragment of ancient parchment from Bible given to Jerusalem scholars An eight-centimeter-square piece of the 1087-year-old Aleppo Codex will be given to a representative of the Ben Zvi Institute in Jerusalem on Thursday.

* FM Livni: “We Uprooted Thousands, Yet Rockets are Still Coming” Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, speaking before Foreign Ministers of the European Union and others, says that Israel is so anxious for peace that it is willing to enter into negotiations at an inopportune time.

* Olmert: Annapolis summit set for end of November The U.S.-sponsored peace conference in Annapolis will take place in the last week of November.

By: David Horovitz – The Jerusalem Post

Middle East envoy Tony Blair on Sunday urged Israel to make a “psychological shift” from indifference and skepticism about the prospects of progress with the Palestinians to an active determination to “make it happen on the right terms.”

Read more….

* Hizbullah undertakes massive exercise Hizbullah recently held a large-scale exercise south of the Litani River that included thousands of gunmen.

* Ramon: Peace deal will go to referendum if gov’t collapses Prime Minister Ehud Olmert will take any peace deal formulated at the Annapolis peace conference to a referendum if his Kadima-based coalition breaks up following the conference.

* Olmert: Core issues are on the Annapolis agenda Prime Minister Ehud Olmert took the stage at the Saban Forum on Sunday evening in Jerusalem, and delivered an impassioned speech promising to seriously pursue current Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.

* Blair: Israel needs psychological shift Middle East envoy Tony Blair on Sunday urged Israel to make a “psychological shift” from indifference and skepticism about the prospects of progress with the Palestinians to an active determination to “make it happen on the right terms.”

* China and US agree military hotline China and the US have agreed to set up a military hotline between their two capitals.

* Turkey seeks right to build monument in J’lem’s Old City Turkey would like to build a monument to those who died fighting for the Ottoman Empire at the foot of the Temple Mount’s eastern wall, not far from the Golden Gate.

* Bush, Turkish leader to discuss how to stop rebel attacks Tension along the Iraqi-Turkish border is expected to top the agenda Monday when Turkey’s prime minister meets with President Bush.

* PetroChina’s Value Tops $1 Trillion, Surpassing Exxon PetroChina Co. almost tripled on its first day of trading in Shanghai.

* Musharraf warned: hold elections and quit as army chief The US and Britain are today expected to demand that Pakistan’s president, Pervez Musharraf, honour pledges to hold elections in the next two months and step down as the army chief.

* Belgium government difficulties could endanger EU treaty ratification With Belgium still struggling to form a new government, fears are growing that the country will not be able to ratify the EU’s Lisbon treaty in December.

* Musharraf imposes emergency rule Pakistan’s President Pervez Musharraf has declared emergency rule and suspended the country’s constitution.

* ‘US okays IDF wide-scale Gaza op’ The United States has given a “green light” to an IDF operation in the Gaza Strip.

* Iraq vows to arrest PKK rebels Iraqi PM Nouri Maliki says Baghdad is ready to pursue and arrest the Kurdish rebel leaders carrying out cross-border raids into Turkey from northern Iraq.

* Fayad wants deadline for talks, release of 2,000 prisoners The Palestinian Authority demands that Washington make an effort to achieve a document that would stand up to the Palestinian people’s expectations.

* Al Qaeda threatens Libya attack Al Qaeda’s No. 2 figure harshly criticized Libyan leader Moammar Gadhafi in a new audio tape Saturday.

* Saudi King Keeps British Relations Well-Oiled Britain waved farewell to Saudi Arabia’s monarch King Abdullah on Thursday, following a royal visit marked by much pomp.

* Abbas holds Friday prayers with Hamas leaders Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas held Friday prayers with Hamas officials in the West Bank.

* Syrian gov’t secrecy left nuclear facility undefended by army The veil of secrecy in Damascus surrounding Syria’s alleged nuclear facility left it vulnerable to aerial attack.

* Rice in Turkey for tough talks to avert cross-border strike US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice arrived in Turkey Friday, offering an “effective strategy” against Kurdish rebels in northern Iraq.

* Russian election campaign opens Saturday marks the official start of campaigning in the Russian parliamentary election.

By: Hillel Fendel – Arutz Sheva

As Jews worldwide prepare to read aloud in synagogues, this coming Sabbath, the Biblical account of Patriarch Abraham’s purchase of land in Hevron, 54 MKs sign a petition in favor of Jews’ right of purchase there.

Read more….

* IAF flyovers put Lebanon on high alert The Lebanese army has raised its level of alert over the past 24 hours due to abnormal IAF activity over its territory.

* US vows to support Turkey on PKK The US Secretary of State, Condoleezza Rice, has said Turkey and the United States share a common enemy in the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK).

* Abbas meets with three Hamas officials in West Bank Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas met with Hamas officials on Friday for the first time since the organization’s violent takeover of the Gaza Strip.

* Majority of ‘Eligible’ MKs Sign Petition for Hevron As Jews worldwide prepare to read aloud in synagogues, this coming Sabbath, the Biblical account of Patriarch Abraham’s purchase of land in Hevron, 54 MKs sign a petition in favor of Jews’ right of purchase there.

* ‘Hizbullah now stronger, Israel weaker’ The leader of the Hizbullah Sheik Hassan Nasrallah said Thursday that his organization has grown stronger as Israel has weakened.

* 90 Years Since First Int’l Recognition of Zionism Friday, Nov. 2, marks the 90th anniversary of the issuance of Great Britain’s policy paper known as the Balfour Declaration, which set the stage for the establishment of the State of Israel.

* US Air Force struck Syrian nuclear site The September 6 raid over Syria was carried out by the US Air Force.

* Brussels issues reform warning to Balkan states The countries of the Western Balkans can expect to join the EU only in “the medium to long term”.

* Fatah policemen ‘defect to al-Qaida’ Scores of Fatah policemen who used to serve in the Palestinian Authority security forces in the Gaza Strip have now joined the al-Qaida-affiliated group calling itself the Army of Islam.

* World powers discuss Iran sanctions in London Six world powers meet on Friday to discuss imposing a third round of sanctions on Iran because of its refusal to stop enriching uranium.

By: Ayla Jean Yackley – Bloomberg L.P.

Kurds in southeast Turkey voted this summer in record numbers for Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his promise to bring peace to their region. Now, with Turkish troops massed for a possible invasion of Iraq, the talk is of curtailed political rights and ethnic strife.

Read more….