Last update - 01:47 03/12/2006
News in Brief
Palestinian killed, soldier hurt in Hebron
A Palestinian man, 22, was shot dead Friday morning by Israeli troops near the Tomb of the Patriarchs in Hebron, allegedly after throwing a Molotov cocktail at the troops. A Border Police officer was injured slightly in the incident and taken to Hadassah University Hospital, Ein Karem, in Jerusalem. A knife was found on the dead man. (Amos Harel)
Ya'alon defies New Zealand warrant
Former Israel Defense Forces chief of staff Lieut.-Gen. (ret.) Moshe Ya'alon did not leave New Zealand after a warrant was issued for his arrest for alleged war crimes. Speaking to Army Radio Friday, Ya'alon said, "I am continuing to travel in New Zealand. I did not run away from anywhere, and I don't intend to run away." The warrant was issued Tuesday by New Zealand's Justice Ministry following a citizen's petition signed by several local and international human rights organizations. (Amos Harel)
Prodi: Italy would observe Lebanon-Syria border
"Italy is willing to send unarmed observers to the Syria-Lebanon border to deter the smuggling of arms to Hezbollah," Italian Premier Romano Prodi told Meretz Party Chair MK Yossi Beilin during a meeting in Rome yesterday. Italy is to take command of UNIFIL in February. Prodi added that he is waiting for a response from Syrian President Bashar Assad on his offer. (Gideon Alon)
Weekend road accidents kill four
A Bat Yam man was killed yesterday afternoon when a car jumped the sidewalk and hit him. A motorcyclist in the same city was killed at about noon yesterday after losing control of his vehicle. One man was killed and another injured in an accident on the coastal highway near Kibbutz Shefayim Friday. A Dimona resident in his late 20s was killed Thursday night in a hit-and-run. Yesterday morning a pedestrian was critically injured when a car swerved onto the shoulder, near Moshav Nir Zvi. A pedestrian in Jaffa was seriously hurt when a car involved in a three-car accident on Jerusalem Blvd. jumped the curb. (Haaretz Staff)
Arab children more likely to be disabled
The proportion of children in Israel's Arab community who are blind, deaf or have physical or developmental disabilities is double that of the Jewish population, according to the first report on disabilities in the Arab population in Israel. The report is being released today by the Joint Distribution Committee-Israel in honor of International Day for Persons with Disabilities today. The authors attribute the high incidence of disability to the high rate of inbreeding, genetic diseases, childbearing at an advanced age and a high incidence of accidents. (Ruth Sinai)