The IDF Homefront Command conducted emergency siren testing in southern area municipalities at 4:30pm.
**Addressing an international forum of justices in Jerusalem, former President of the High Court Prof. Aaron Barak praised the court�s decision to open Highway 443 to PA (Palestinian Authority) motorists.
**Rock attacks against a vehicle near Dir Abu Meshal west of Ramallah. No injuries but there were reports of damage to a vehicle.
**Maccabi HMO in Betar Illit continues to cooperate with the city�s Hatzolah volunteers and this past shabbos, a visiting elderly man in his 70s was saved from death due to the efforts of a Maccabi physician who responded, Dr. Moshe Rav-Acha. Together with Hatzolah volunteers, they stabilized the patient, who was transported to Jerusalem�s Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital.
**Noam Shalit met on Monday with Knesset Speaker Reuven Rivlin, opposition leader Tzipi Livni, Deputy Foreign Minister Ayalon, and other officials as he continues lobbying on behalf of a prisoner exchange deal that will bring his son Gilad home.
**Chefs L�Mehadrin are what some call the new graduates from the Michlelet Ta�amim College, which is running courses for males and females in the chareidi community, certifying them as cooks.
**Two Arab youths were taken into custody at the Machpelah after it was determined they were concealing knives, which they admitted they were planning to use to stab soldiers or �settlers�. It was the second such incident in less than 24 hours.
**The union representing Defense Ministry employees have declared a �work dispute� due to an unresolved labor issue. The declaration starts the countdown timer which permits a strike at the end of the two-week hiatus period.
**As expected, Kadima voted to prohibit MK Eli Aflalo to break away and launch his own party as he hoped to do.
**A firebomb was hurled at border police near Har Adar. No injuries.
**A farming tractor on Sunday afternoon tore through a number of communication cables in the Ganei Aviv area, resulting in serious delays in railway service nationwide.
**Tourism officials report a 33% decrease in the number of Israelis visiting Turkey in 2009.
13:49: A mortar shell fired from Gaza lands near Kerem Shalom. No injuries.
**16:31: Mortar shells fired from Gaza landed near Erez Crossing. No injuries.
**16:50: Mortar shells fired from Gaza landed near Erez Crossing again. No injuries.
**A Bat Yam motorist struck and injured a police volunteer manning a checkpoint in Bnei Brak, a male in his 60s. The driver fled the scene but was apprehended. The police volunteer was injured lightly.
**There was a 4% decline in requests for unemployment benefits in December 2009.
(Yechiel Spira � YWN Israel)
