(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel) 

SECURITY/DEFENSE:

*The closure on PA area residents throughout Yehuda and Shomron continues as the nation prepares to celebrate the Purim weekend. Terror warnings continue to compel security agencies to remain on a state of heightened alertness, and police call on all residents to exhibit increased vigilance and report anything or anyone suspicious immediately. For those visiting from North America remember in Israel, the “911” number for police is “100” and an emergency ambulance, MDA, is “101”.

*A firebomb was hurled at an Israeli motorist traveling in Shomron on Wednesday evening, near the Arab village of Azzoun. There were no reports of injuries or damage.

*Defense Minister Ehud Barak stated on Wednesday evening that there is no dialogue between Israel and Hamas, adding IDF counter-terrorist activities would continue in Gaza. Accompanying US Republican presidential candidate John McCain in Sderot on Wednesday, the senior minister stated, “any normal nation is compelled to defend itself and therefore, we will continue to act to stop Qassam rocket attacks. Senator McCain stated that he understands Israel’s response to some 900 rockets fired in a three-month period.

*Magen Dovid Adom, Israel’s emergency medical service provider, has moved upped preparedness ahead of the three-day Jerusalem Purim weekend. The number of basic life support and paramedic advanced life support ambulances in major cities will be doubled during the weekend period and there will be an increase in the number of on-call personnel as well.

*Border police of the Emek Lod base on Wednesday night arrested 19 illegal Arab workers found in a nearby orchard. They were taken into custody. An unspecified number succeeded in fleeing authorities.

*A hand grenade was thrown at a home on Netanya’s Abba Hillel Street during the night. No injuries were reported. Police are investigating.

POLITICS, DOMESTIC & MORE:

*Professor Avi Ravitsky, who sustained very serious injuries when struck by a vehicle while crossing a Jerusalem street in Oct. 2006, was released from Beit Levenstein Rehabilitation Hospital on Wednesday. Ravitsky, a Nobel Prize Laureate, was head of the Jewish Philosophy department at Hebrew University. The professor was in a comatose state for some two months and has completed a very long and difficult rehabilitation process.

*Meretz party leader-elect MK Chaim Oron stated his party will not enter into the coalition currently headed by Kadima. He made his comments in response by Labor party leader Defense Minister Ehud Barak, who called on Meretz to enter the coalition. Oron stated his response is an unequivocal “no”, questioning the legitimacy of Barak’s party remaining in the coalition government headed by Prime Minister Ehud Olmert.

*”Jews kill children to make matzah” is the theme of hundreds of pamphlets distributed in Novosibirsk, Russia, ahead of Pessach (Passover). The anti-Semitic pamphlet warns local residents to protect their children from abduction by Jews who use their blood for their holiday ritual, a potent reminder of the Blood Libels. Novosibirsk is home to some 13,000 Jews.

*Members of the Israel Bar Association committee investigating conditions in Jerusalem’s Russian Compound Detention Center deplored what they saw. Committee chair Michael Atiya stated conditions were simply horrific and unacceptable, calling for immediate action. This is not the first time the Israel Police main Jerusalem lock-up has been cited for deplorable conditions but over recent years, little has been done towards humanizing conditions.