(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel 11:30AM IL)

SECURITY/DEFENSE:

*Closure on PA residents of Yehuda and Shomron today, Independence Day as security around the country remains high.

*Mortar rockets fired into southern Israel on Wednesday night. No injuries.

POLITICS, DOMESTIC & MORE:

*Golan Heights: Two parachutists on Thursday afternoon landed on a group of hikers. A number of people were lightly injured.

*Tzurit Berenson, from Nahariya is this year’s winner of International Bible Contest held in Yerushalayim.

*Al-Hayat: A report that Syria demands Israel turn over Golan Heights resulted in cancellation of planned negotiations between Syria and Israel.

*Maale Adumim: 100s of residents celebrate Independence Day in controversial E1 in defiance of American gestures to PA.

*IDF permits march to evacuated Shomron community of Chomesh.

*Quartet envoy Tony Blair to Sky News: Negotiations between Israel and PA must be expedited if an agreement is to be reached by the end of 2008.

*London-based Al-Shark Al-Awsat: Likud activist behind ongoing investigation into PM Olmert.

*Peres once again calls on secular community to learn to respect the chareidim.