SECURITY/DEFENSE:

*Friday, day 45 of the virtual Gaza ceasefire.

*Today is Gilad Shalit’s 769th day in Hamas captivity.

*Two wanted terrorists were apprehended in the Bet Lechem district on Thursday night. There were turned over to the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) for interrogation.

*Lebanese media reports Hizbullah announces it will respond to Israeli incursions into Lebanese air space.

POLITICS, DOMESTIC & MORE:

*3 people were killed and one critically injured in a Friday morning rush hour accident on the Jerusalem – Tel Aviv Highway near the Lod Interchange. It appears excessive speed caused the fatal accident.

*An El Al 777 jet with 300 passengers and crew on board landed in LAX Airport on Thursday morning at 6:00am, apparently with a possible blown nose wheel. No injuries were reported. An investigation underway by the FAA.

*EMS personnel pronounced a man dead as a result of a drowning incident on an Ashdod beach on Friday morning.

*A 17-year-old female is reported in moderate condition in Tel Hashomer Hospital after being attacked by an elephant in Ramat Gan Safari on Thursday night. She sustained abdominal trauma. They female entered the safari park at night during unauthorized hours.

*Police on Friday morning will question PM Olmert for a fourth time in ongoing investigations against him. The PM set aside only 2 hours. Police investigators wanted a longer time period. 

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)