05/17/12

* Iran attack decision nears, Israeli elite locks down A private door opens from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office in central Jerusalem directly into a long, modestly furnished, half-paneled room.

* Iran to Hezbollah: Hands off Israel An Iranian Revolutionary Guards commander reportedly ordered Hezbollah not to attack Israel.

* TIME crowns Netanyahu as the 'king of Israel' TIME magazine has crowned Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as the 'king of Israel' in its cover story.

* Iranian Calls for 'Islamic Awakening' to Destroy Israel An Iranian official called this week for an 'Islamic Awakening' movement to help Palestinian Authority Arabs "demolish the Zionist regime".

* US Leads Major War Drill in Jordan - Israel Not Invited The United States is leading what it described as the "largest military exercises in the Middle East in 10 years" in Jordan on Tuesday.

* Israel ranked third behind Iran and Pakistan for 'negative influence' in BBC survey Israel, along with North Korea, ranks third behind only Iran and Pakistan in the latest annual Country Ratings Poll of the BBC World Service.

* Israel pushes for silent moment for Munich victims Israel on Thursday slammed the Olympic Committee for rejecting its proposal to hold a minute of silence in memory of the Israeli athletes murdered at the 1972 Olympic Games in Munich.

* Wanted Arafat advisor: PA funded Arab Israeli parties Mohammed Rashid, wanted by the Palestinian Authority for embezzling millions, says PA funded Arab parties in Israel during general elections.

* Spain into recession amid fears of eurozone bank run Spain tumbled into recession and European stock markets and the euro fell Thursday as Greece installed a crisis government to tackle its crippling debt.

* Israel becomes a target in Egypt's presidential vote Israel has become a punchbag for politicians vying for votes in Egypt's presidential race.