ANALYSIS -- When Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi stood in the Knesset Wednesday and reiterated what he has said repeatedly during his visit here about his dream for Israel’s joining the EU, everyone in the plenum clapped. Israel is not, to put it mildly, Europe’s flavor of the month. It is demonized by some (think Swedish press), accused of war crimes by others (think British legal system), and vilified by still others (think Irish politicians). And yet despite it all, here comes the leader of Italy – not a small, insignificant member of the EU – and says from every podium in Israel that “you are like us, we want you.” For a nation feeling increasingly isolated, those words are refreshing and duly applauded. But don’t be confused by the applause. Israel is in no great hurry to join the EU. In fact, Israel has never applied to join the EU, an obvious prerequisite for membership. - JPOST.com

The current holder of the rotating European Union presidency, Sweden, has put together a draft document calling for the division of Jerusalem between Israel and a future Palestinian state. (Click through to read draft). -HAARETZ.com

The UN is currently marking the historic date of November 29 1947, the day in which it approved the partition plan separating Israel into two states – Jewish and Arabic. But while in Israel the date is celebratory, as it marks the end of the British mandate and the beginning of independent rule, the UN headquarters in New York and Geneva are holding ceremonies of mourning and solidarity with the Palestinian people. Israel has traditionally boycotted the debates due to their one-sidedness, but in recent years has changed its tune. Israel's ambassador to the UN, Gabriela Shalev, is scheduled to speak before the assembly Tuesday and condemn the UN tradition of memorializing the date on which Israel was given a state as a day of mourning. -YNET NEWS.com

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave Moscow a list of Russian scientists Israel believes are helping Iran in its quest to build nuclear weapons, the Times reported. The Times report quotes a source as saying that Netanyahu presented "concrete evidence" Russians are helping Iran build the bomb, and that Israel kept the list private in order to spare Moscow political embarrassment. The article quotes David Albright a former weapons inspector and the president of the Institute for Science and International Security as saying that "there has been Russian help. It is not the government, it is individuals, at least one helping Iran on weaponization activities and it is worrisome." The article adds that western leaders have treated the latest claims with caution, with American and British officials saying that the age of freelance Russian scientists is over. The Times adds that officials in Jerusalem insist that any Russian scientists working in Iran could only do so with the approval of the Kremlin. - HAARETZ.com

Prof. Ada Yonath, who was informed last week that she would become the ninth Israeli winner of a Nobel prize for her work in chemistry, went on the record on Saturday regarding an entirely different subject, stating that Israel should release all Palestinian prisoners, regardless of whether it would be part of a deal to secure the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Schalit.

Use of the graphic displays is being strongly urged by the World Health Organization's Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which Israel has ratified. Putting such images on packets has been proven in scientific research to lower smoking rates significantly, with many smokers getting the message and their children, spouses and friends demanding that they kick the habit. mages appearing around the world include a mouthful of yellowed, rotten teeth; blackened lungs; gangrenous feet; a dead fetus lying near cigarette butts; a hole in the throat, in addition to bold texts such as "WARNING: Smoking can kill you," and "Tobacco smoke can harm your children." Although the US has now joined 30 countries in requiring all cigarette packets to display gruesome images of the results of diseases caused by smoking, Deputy Health Minister Ya'acov Litzman has "not yet decided his position," an aide said. - JERUSALEM POST

OPINION - We were reminded this past week of the biblical injunction against idolatry as we listened to the Ten Commandments in synagogues around the world. This commandment was preceded by the proclamation that our nation, the Jewish people, has been liberated from such slavery. The adoration afforded Obama that has propelled him to the highest office in his country - nay, the world - borders on idolatry. That American Jews have contributed to Obama's rise is not surprising. Israeli Jews may not vote for the US president, but they suffer from a neurotic side-effect of this "adoration-bordering-on-idolatry" syndrome. They display a neurotic anxiety at every manifestation of presidential approval or disapproval. How many presidents have been described sycophantically by Israeli representatives as "the best friend Israel has ever had." Or conversely, how many Israeli prime ministers have been lamented as having "gotten off on the wrong foot" with this or that president? Such manic-depresssive reactions are inappropriate for a nation - no matter how small - that is truly free. When are we Jews going to get off our idolatrous merry-go-round vis-à-vis American presidents and realize the consistently confirmed proposition that in international relations there are no "friendships" - only interests! - JERUSALEM POST

The security establishment had some scathing criticism for the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) on Wednesday after the IDF claimed that three ambulances that were transferred to the organization some two weeks ago were seized by Hamas. According to the army, a short time after the ambulances arrived in Gaza via the Kerem Shalom border crossing, Hamas gunmen overpowered the drivers and took control of the vehicles. The IDF noted that UNRWA failed to report the incident. A military source told Army Radio that the incident indicated a double standard toward Hamas, and UNRWA's discrimination concerning Israel. "When Israel deviates a little from procedures in Gaza, there is a massive world outcry, but when UNRWA, as an organization, doesn't even declare that Hamas is causing great damage in Gaza, the world doesn't even open its mouth," he said. - JERUSALEM POST

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu welcomed a planeload of olim on Tuesday at Ben Gurion Airport, telling them "we're close to a tipping point." According to the prime minister, "for the first time in 2,000 years, there are going to be more Jews in Israel than outside it." Speaking to a terminal full of olim from the United States and Canada, who came with Nefesh B'Nefesh on the organization's 38th chartered aliya flight since the first one in July 2002, Netanyahu noted that Israel's Jewish population was nearing the six million mark. Netanyahu told the 238 new immigrants that aliya to the state of Israel had given the Jewish people "our ability to control our fate and our destiny." - JERUSALEM POST