SECURITY/DEFENSE:

*An Israel Air Force helicopter crashed on Wednesday evening near Kibbutz Gingegar in the Jezreel Valley. It is assumed the chopper was involved in a training mission. A second chopper reportedly made an emergency landing. No additional information at this time.

POLITICS, DOMESTIC & MORE:

*Health Ministry officials on Wednesday afternoon called to close the Akko beach due to the infiltration of sewage into area water.

*Retired Supreme Court Justice Eliezer Rivlin, who heads the Central Election Committee, announced he does not intend to become involved in the Deri Jerusalem mayoral race and therefore, does not intend to respond to Deri’s request if he will be permitted to run in the election.

*DM Ehud Barak met on Wednesday night in the Defense Minister with special US Mideast envoy General James Jones.

*Speaking at an IDF Homefront Command event in Ramle, Deputy Defense Minister Matan Vilnai stated it is a certainty that in the next war, the enemy will fire rockets into the heart of the nation, referring to the homefront.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)