Ironically, it was the Berlusconi who showed little respect for the old institutions and traditions, who managed to break the glass ceiling of the Italian Foreign Ministry, which had until his arrival subscribed to a pro-Arab policy that showed little sympathy toward Israel.

Last month, House Oversight Committee Chairman James Comer and Sen. Chuck Grassley released a bombshell on alleged bribery. One might think the FBI would have investigated this immediately.

"We have made clear to them what escalatory steps they needed to avoid to prevent a crisis and what de-escalatory steps they could take to create a more positive context," source says, declining to detail these but noting Washington would like to see greater Iranian cooperation with the world's nuclear watchdog.

The Opposition leader testifies in Jerusalem in one of three corruption cases against the prime minister. The indictment claims he used his position of power to further Hollywood mogul Arnon Milchan's interests in exchange for gifts.

While Palestinian membership in UNESCO was the trigger for the US fallout with the agency, its return is more about China's growing influence.