Subscribe to Print Edition | Mon., October 06, 2008 Tishrei 7, 5769 | | Israel Time: 01:35 (EST+7) web haaretz.com   Back to Homepage Haaretz Toolbar Diplomacy Defense Jewish World Opinion National Print Edition Car Rental Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Easy Start Travel Week's End Anglo File

News in Brief Tags: Israel News, El Al, Flu shots The U.S. may waive its visa requirement for Israelis, U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Michael Chertoff told Interior Minister Meir Sheetrit during their meeting in Washington Thursday. Sheetrit sounded upbeat: "I received a positive signal from Secretary Chertoff and from Assistant Secretary of State William Burns," Sheetrit told Haaretz. "Their approval is needed, and both support the idea," Sheetrit said. (Natasha Mozgovaya) Despite the terror warnings, 5,834 Israelis (including Israeli Arabs) have entered Sinai via the Taba border crossing since the start of last week, according Israel Airports Authority data. About half that number of people - 2,733 - returned to Israel during that period. The authority forecasts a 30-percent increase in holiday traffic at the Taba crossing over last year. (Zohar Blumenkrantz) Advertisement All four of the country's health maintenance organizations will provide free influenza immunizations this winter. First in line for the flu shots are nursing home residents, the chronically ill and healthcare workers. Clalit Health Services, Israel's largest HMO, has purchased 620,000 doses of the vaccine and has begun to immunize its members. Maccabi Healthcare Services has purchased about 250,000 doses. (Yuval Azoulay) About 40 boats sailed off Tel Aviv's coast Friday to mark 30 days since the death of peace activist Abie Nathan. The event, which was preceded by a memorial ceremony at Gordon Beach, near a plaque commemorating Nathan's Voice of Peace broadcasting ship, was sponsored by the Tel Aviv municipality. The boats were from the Tel Aviv Sea Scouts. Friends of Nathan spoke at the ceremony, while the Voices of Peace Jewish and Arab choir and David Broza provided music. "I can't think of a more beautiful or appropriate way to mark Abie's shloshim than this sail, which brings us back to the city's beach and the memorial plaque," Mayor Ron Huldai said at the ceremony. (Igal Hai) Reputed crime boss Yaakov Alperon was arrested Friday afternoon in Tiberias after a kitchen knife, a club and a teargas canister were found in his car. At his bail hearing in the Nazareth Magistrate's Court, the judge ruled there was no justification for keeping Alperon in custody, but agreed to delay his release by a day to enable the police to appeal the decision. Alperon told police during the search that the knife was for peeling fruit, the club for playing sports and that the teargas was his daughter's. (Eli Ashkenazi) An 18-month-old drowned Friday at the marina in the Old City of Acre, apparently after his parents let him wander off on his own. The baby, from the village of Mashhad, near Nazareth, was at the marina with his parents, who had stopped to rest. They realized their son was gone about half an hour later, and began searching for him with the help of others. The toddler was found in the water a few minutes later. He was taken to Western Galilee Hospital in Nahariya and admitted in critical condition, and died shortly thereafter. Acre Police Chief Avi Edry said the incident was tragic for the family, but that negligence is suspected. (Jack Khoury) An El Al plane carrying 156 passengers was forced to return to Beijing before dawn on Friday after a bird was sucked into one of its engines. The flight crew noticed an engine malfunction and decided not to take unnecessary risks. Only after the plane returned to the terminal did flight personnel learn the cause of the problem. An El Al spokesman said the return to Beijing was not an emergency landing, and that both of the plane's engines were functioning properly throughout the flight. (Zohar Blumenkrantz) Egypt's presidential spokesman says his country endorses a U.S. proposal to host key international players to follow up on Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. Spokesman Suleiman Awwad said Saturday that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has asked Egypt to invite Israeli and Palestinian leaders and members of the Quartet of Mideast mediators to meet before U.S. President George W. Bush's term ends in January. Bush, who hosted a high-profile peace conference in Annapolis, Maryland, last November that drew 44 nations, has expressed hope for an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal before the end of the year. (AP) Hundreds of people yesterday commemorated the eighth anniversary of the October 2000 events, during which 13 Israeli Arabs were shot and killed by police. The protesters waved Palestinian and black flags and carried banners bearing the portraits of the dead. Addressing the rally in the Israeli Arab city of Sakhnin, Higher Arab Monitoring Committee Chairman Shawki Khatib said the group plans to petition for an independent, international inquiry committee. "We have no confidence in the attorney general or the judicial system," Khatib said. (Jack Khoury) Bookmark to del.icio.us   Forgotten peace French FM: I fear distracted world may forget Mideast peace process. Settlers vs. Shin Bet Daniela Weiss: Shin Bet behind attack on left-wing advocate prof. Sternhell.

Read & React French FM to Haaretz: Israel will act before Iran gets bomb Responses: 158 Editorial: IDF complicit in settler thugs' violence Responses: 46 Akiva Eldar: The PA is a fig leaf covering the nakedness of occupation Responses: 26 ANALYSIS / IDF plans to use disproportionate force in next war Responses: 116 Gideon Levy: Olmert has euthanized the Israeli right Responses: 47 More Headlines 00:59 Livni: Annapolis will continue, regardless of political upheavel 00:32 Economic woes put a strain on coalition negotiations 00:36 U.S. Jewish committee recruits former Israeli defense officials for pro-Obama ad 16:47 French FM to Haaretz: Israel will act before Iran gets bomb 12:10 ANALYSIS / IDF plans to use disproportionate force in next war 16:03 Iran: We won't halt enrichment even if nuclear fuel supply guaranteed 13:01 Lithuanian academic blasts war crimes probe of ex-Yad Vashem chief 21:49 NGO appeals decision to hand over J'lem compound to Russia 14:00 Israeli hacker 'The Analyzer' accused of masterminding global fraud 19:26 Environment Ministry: 60% of Israeli factories exceed air pollution limits 20:41 Comptroller hears Dichter testimony over police wiretap case 15:56 Hezbollah dismisses Israeli threats of destruction in next war 01:37 NEW ON HAARETZ.COM / Play the news: Build your own Israeli government Previous Editions Select Day 05 oct 03 oct 02 oct 01 oct 30 sep 29 sep 28 sep 26 sep 25 sep 24 sep 23 sep 22 sep

Special Offers Advertisement Fattal Hotel Chain Perfectly located hotels on best resorts of Israel. Dial 013 for your long-distance calls and get all your money back US CITIZENS Vote for real change. Request your ballot today! Eldan Rent a Car Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on all online reservations Jewish Singles Personal Ads Find the love of your life on JDate.com Israel's Premier Real Estate Website www. israel-property.com Hebrew Summer courses From $39.95 Junkyard Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt

Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Underground | Site rules |

Real Estate in Israel | Travel to Israel with Haaretz | Hotels Israel | Restaurants Israel | Tourist attractions Israel | Shops Israel

birthright Israel | Search engine marketing

Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.

© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved