12/22/12

* Foreign Ministry Rushes to Apologize over 'Jesus' Post The Foreign Ministry has launched a probe into the posting of a Facebook message by the Israel embassy in Ireland.

* How some Israelis see the sacred in settlements As Rabbi Dovid Ben Meir leads visitors through the ruins of this ancient city, believed to have served as the Jewish capital more than 3,000 years ago, his love of history is clear.

* Highlights from Egypt's draft constitution Egypt's draft constitution, which is being voted on in a referendum Saturday, is made up of an introduction, an 11-part preamble and 236 articles.

* Ross: Many Commonalities Between US and Israel Speaking at the Jerusalem Center for Public Affairs (JCPA) conference at the Inbal hotel in Jerusalem, Ambassador Dennis Ross sought to explain United States priorities in the Middle East.

* Syria acting to safeguard chemical weapons, says Russia Sergei Lavrov said the weapons had previously been "scattered" across the country and they were "under control" for the time being.

* Behind the Lines: Coastal Retreat The beleaguered regime of Bashar Assad suffered further setbacks this week.

* Pakistani mob beats to death Muslim accused of blasphemy A mob in Pakistan has stormed a police station and beaten to death a Muslim man accused of desecrating the Koran.

* Stalin's birthday marked in Russia and beyond People across the vast territory where Josef Stalin once imposed his terror have marked the 133rd anniversary of the dictator's birth.

* New female mayor gears Bethlehem up for Christmas Bethlehem's first female mayor, Vera Baboun, can't walk through the main square of the biblical town without being stopped by admirers.

* Al Qaida group now dominant force in war to topple Assad An Al Qaida-aligned militia appears to have become the leading rebel force in the war against Syrian President Bashar Assad.