(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel 7:00AM IL)

SECURITY/DEFENSE:

*Channel 2: Syrian shepherds hurl explosives over the border in the hope of one of them detonating against an IDF patrol. A number of them have been arrested and released.

*Barak: Israel and Hamas on a collision course that could take days or weeks. Even if there is a truce, the collision will occur in a number of months.

*At least 7 mortar rockets were fired into southern Israel late Monday night. No injuries.

*Arab residents of the Shuafat Refugee Camp in the Jerusalem district on Monday attacked a border police patrol with rocks damaging two vehicles. One Arab male was injured by rocks after being struck in his head.

*A vehicle was damaged on Monday afternoon in a rock-throwing attack near Tekoa in the eastern Gush Etzion area.

*Terrorists on Monday evening fired at soldiers near Nirim. No injuries.

*Firebomb hurled at Israeli driver near el-Aroub in Gush Etzion district on Monday night. No injuries.

*Terrorists armed with a knife on his way to perpetrating an attack apprehended at Ephraim Checkpoint in the Tulkarem district.

*An Arab carrying seven knives was apprehended by security forces at the entrance to Maon in the Har Chevron district.

POLITICS, DOMESTIC & MORE:

*Arabs in Tira on Monday heckled President Shimon Peres during an address to the northern Israeli Arab community. They decried Israel’s destruction of [illegal] homes in the Arab sector.

*Shakib Shanan, 47, a member of the Druse community, will replace Dr. Ephraim Sneh who this week broke away from the Labor Party.

*The Bank of Israel on Monday raised interest rates 0.25% as expected.

*Rav Ovadia Yosef Shlita informs Shas leader Minister Eli Yishai to break away from the coalition if the treasury does not raise monthly child allowance payments.

*Shlomo Goldwasser, the father of captured soldier Ehud Goldwasser, on Monday evening told reporters that despite the reports of progress towards the release of his son, he has not received any official word confirming media reports.

*MK Zevulun Orlev calls on MK Prof. Aryeh Eldad to retract his statement that anyone giving away land should face the death penalty, explaining his remarks may be misinterpreted as condoning another political assassination.

*PA: Approximately 200,000 residents of Gaza have been without electric and water since last week’s truck bomb attack at Erez which cut major lines.

*Some 30MKs are already aligned with Golan Heights lobby and are expressing their adamant opposition to any plan which calls for the handing of the Golan Heights to the Syrians.

*Most Kadima party ministers oppose the prime minister’s plan for a deal with Syria that would call upon Israel to retreat from the Golan Heights.

*Firefighters on Monday afternoon extinguished a blaze in a Tiveria apartment home. No injuries were reported.

*Firefighters on Monday afternoon extinguished a blaze in an apartment complex on Dovid Remez Street in Tzfas. No injuries.

*Another slight improvement reported in the condition of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu Shlita.