SECURITY/DEFENSE:

*Today, Thursday, is day 135 of the virtual Gaza ceasefire.

*Today is Gilad Shalit’s 858th day in Hamas captivity.

*A Kassam rocket was fired into southern Israel on Thursday morning shortly before 8:00am. No injuries or damage were reported.

*IDF soldiers involved in counter-terror operations arrested three suspects in Jenin on Wednesday night.

*Arabs on Wednesday night threw a firebomb at border police protecting Kever Rachel in PA-occupied Bet Lechem. No injuries were reported.

POLITICS, DOMESTIC & MORE:

*The Israeli businessman kidnapped in Ghana about 10 days ago managed to escape and found his way to local authorities, Foreign Ministry officials are reporting.

*PM Olmert will attempt to mediate between the treasury and the representatives of the nation’s universities to avert a shut down of the academic institutions.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)