1. ISRAEL DISMISSES ARROW FAILURE…The United States-Israeli Arrow anti-ballistic missile failed to hit its target in a test off the coast of California on Thursday. The missile system identified the target but a malfunction prevented a successful launch. Israeli defense officials say previous tests have been a success and the Arrow is perfectly capable of hitting the Iranian Shihab-3 missile.
2. QASSAM ROCKET LANDS ON CHILD’S BED…Palestinians in Gaza launched a series of attacks against Israeli civilian targets over the last 24 hours. It began with a Hamas-made Qassam rocket landing on a child’s bed in the Israeli town Sderot. The child was sleeping in her mother’s bed at the time. A series of mortar volleys hit Israeli villages in Gaza, with one striking a house. There were no reports of injuries. Meanwhile a bomb was detonated next to an Israeli bus between Jerusalem and Hebron on Thursday night. Once again, there were no injuries.
3. ISRAELI MINISTER MAY FACE PROSECUTION…Israel’s Internal Security Minister Tzahi Hanegbi could possibly be indicted after a damning report into alleged nepotism when he was environment minister in the last government. The document, compiled by State-Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg, states that Hanegbi employed dozens of members of the Likud party’s central committee to posts in the ministry. A spokesman for Hanegbi said in response the fact that many of the employees are still in their posts proves they were hired for their skills rather than in return for political favors to Hanegbi.