About 100 Arabs and left-wing supporters held a violent protest against the partition fence near Naalin. Protestors targeted security forces with firebombs and rocks.

**The Knesset Finance Committee on Wednesday afternoon approved the 2009-2010 state budget.

**Finance Committee Chairman R’ Moshe Gafne announced on Wednesday that while the water usage excess tax is painful, and it will cost every household money, the critical water situation in Eretz Yisrael leaves no other available alternative.

** Amid rumors of a possible immanent change, the Prime Minister’s Office on Wednesday afternoon released a message that emissary Chaggai Hadas will continue in his capacity as heading efforts towards obtaining the release of Gilad Shalit.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)