SECURITY/DEFENSE:

*13:35: Kassam rocket attack without injuries.

*Na’alin Ckpt: Soldiers pelted with rocks by dozens of Arabs after their colleagues were arrested for driving without a license.

POLITICS, DOMESTIC & MORE:

*Absolute final voting tabulations, including votes of IDF soldiers, will only be available on Thursday, Central Election Committee officials reported on Monday. If the election is not unusually close, the final results should be announced sometime Tuesday night-to-Wednesday morning.

*Former Finance Minister Hirschson, who is on trial for fraud and bribery, was hospitalized in Ichilov Hospital in Tel Aviv on Monday after complaining of substernal chest pain. He is undergoing tests.

*MK (Labor) Yoram Marciano, 44, was taken to Jerusalem’s Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital on Monday after it was suspected that he was suffering a cardiac incident. He was reportedly undergoing tests on Monday afternoon. Hospital officials stated he was conscious and alert.

*Israel Police moving to high alert for municipal Election Day on Tuesday. 10,000 policemen will be assigned to Election Day duty.

*Ben-Gurion Airport employees returned to their regular work schedule following early day work stoppages on Monday in compliance with a National Labor Court back-to-work order.

*Rain in the forecast for Wednesday late day/night, with local thundershowers expected on Thursday from the north to northern Negev. There will also be a significant drop in temperatures accompanying the precipitation.

*The 17th Knesset today, Monday, ended its operation and will only convene following the general election for the 18th Knesset. The current government and lawmakers will continue to function but the Knesset is not scheduled to hold plenum sessions until following the elections on Feb. 10th.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)