Latest News Briefs

US President Donald Trump wrote on Twitter on Sunday night, "The Trump Administration has accomplished more than any other U.S. Administration in its first two (not even) years of existence, & we are having a great time doing it!"

He went on to blast the "Fake News Media" which, he said, "has gone totally out of its mind-truly the Enemy of the People!"

Teens wounded in attack at the Ofra junction spoke moments beforehand with pregnant woman who was seriously wounded.

Meretz chairwoman MK Tamar Zandberg commented on the shooting attack at the Ofra junction.

"I am keeping my fingers crossed for the woman who was wounded in the attack and the little baby who is now in the premature word. A speedy and complete recovery to both of them and the rest of the wounded. We have to do everything to ensure they will be the last victims," she said.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu commented on the attack at the Ofra junction.

"This evening there was a serious terror attack. Everyone is praying for the recovery of a young mother fighting for her life. He baby is saved, we also wish a speedy recovery for all the wounded. We will not rest until we find these murderous criminals and bring them to justice," said the prime minister.

Syrian media report that air defense systems responded to air strike over Damascus. An hour later, denial issued.

Mother of teenager who was wounded in attack near Ofra: We will not travel in fear. God will protect us.

Jason Greenblatt, the US Special Representative for International Negotiations, on Sunday condemned the shooting attack at the Ofra junction, in which seven Israelis were wounded, including a 21-year-old pregnant woman who suffered serious injuries.

“Absolutely Disgusting – Terrorists attack a group of Israelis celebrating Hanukkah. My prayers and thoughts are with the victims and their families. President Abbas, will you condemn the act this time??” he wrote.

The family of the 21-year-old woman who was seriously wounded in the attack at the Ofra junction is asking the public to pray for the recovery of Shira Yael bat Liora.

Nick Ayers, an aide to US Vice President Mike Pence who was reportedly a leading candidate to serve as White House of Chief of Staff, will not take on that role.

Ayers announced in a tweet on Sunday that he would be leaving the White House at the end of year.

Following attack near Ofra, US Ambassador to the UN calls for the PA to stop its payments to terrorists.

MK Robert Ilatov, head of the Yisrael Beytenu Parliamentary Group, responded to Sunday evening’s shooting attack at the Ofra junction.

"I call upon the Knesset members from the coalition and the chairman of the Knesset Constitution, Law and Justice Committee, Nissan Slomiansky, to put aside all the small political considerations and to immediately hold a debate and vote on the death penalty for terrorists law," said Ilatov.

ISIS is re-emerging as a guerilla force and threatening chemical warfare.

Members of nationalist camp demand that Prime Minister Netanyahu, who also serves as defense minister, fight terrorism.

Doctors at the Shaare Zedek Hospital in Jerusalem delivered the baby of the young woman who was seriously wounded in the attack at the Ofra junction.

The baby was taken to the hospital ward for premature babies and is in good condition. The 21-year-old mother is currently being operated on.

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Palestinian Arabs are reporting that IDF forces are operating in the Palestinian Authority village of Silwad, as the manhunt for the terrorists who carried out the attack at the Ofra junction continues.

It will be partly cloudy through Thursday with isolated showers in the Mediterranean coastal plain and a chance of rain in the north Sunday night. There's a chance of isolated rain in the northern coastal plain on Monday and isolated showers in the north on Tuesday, accompanied by strong southwesterly winds. Wednesday will see scattered showers and isolated thunderstorms in the north, gradually spreading to the center. Thursday's forecast is for a chance of light rain with temperatures slightly below normal.

Monday highs:
Jerusalem, Golan Heights: 16Celsius/60Fahrenheit;
Kinneret/Sea of Galilee: 21C/69F; Haifa: 17/62; Tel Aviv: 18/64;
Be'er Sheva': 20/68; Dead Sea: 24/75; Eilat: 23/73

Sovereignty Youth Movement continues special fundraising campaign for young leaders who demand sovereignty in Judea and Samaria.

"Superup" presents an artificial intelligence based application that helps users and retailers shop in ease.

Supreme Court Justices Meir Mazuz, Ofer Grosskopf and Alex Stein rejected today a petition filed by terror victims against the state's approval of the transfer of Qatari money to Gaza.

The main opinion in the ruling was written by Justice Stein, who emphasized in the judgment that the Israeli government's decisions were essentially not the court's matter, and rejected the claim that this was a violation of the Prohibition on Financing Terrorism Law.

The Israel Defense Forces are searching the area of the drive-by shooting at the Ofra Junction.

The Commanding Officer of the Judea and Samaria Division, Brigadier General Eran Niv, is present at the scene. IDF troops who were present at the time of the shooting responded by firing towards the suspect vehicle, which fled.

Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu met with Fijian Prime Minister Frank Bainimarama this evening at the Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem.

The two discussed the strengthening of bilateral relations and the areas in which it was possible to expand cooperation. Prime Minister Netanyahu updated his Fijian counterpart on the exposure of the Hezbollah terrorist tunnels and said that they were a flagrant violation of Israeli sovereignty. He also expressed support for the continued participation of Fiji in the United Nations peacekeeping forces in the region.

Former chairwoman Zahava Galon of the Meretz Party wrote on Twitter, Sunday evening, "Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's demand that the mayor of Haifa not appoint Raja Za'atara to be her deputy is yet another stage in his use of hatred of the Arabs as a political card. He is fanning the fire and riding on it without caring who will be harmed and who will burn, Jews and Arabs."

The Magen David Adom emergency service said, Sunday evening, that six people were wounded in the drive-by shooting at the Ofra Junction.

One person was taken to Shaare Zedek Medical Center in serious condition, as was a victim with moderate wounds.

A victim with moderate wounds was taken to Hadassah Mount Scopus Hospital, as were three with light wounds.

Arab media report an attack next to the Damascus Airport.

Syrian media say air defense systems were activated.

The Ministerial Committee on Legislation approved, Sunday, a bill submitted by Member of Knesset Michael Malkieli (Shas) to make it easier for polio patients in Israel.

Polio patients born in Israel are entitled to one-time compensation and a monthly pension in accordance with the percentage of disability determined for them. However, in order to receive the rest of the rights due to them under the law, the polio patients are required to see the various committees of the Bituach Leumi National Insurance Institute. Under Malkieli's bill, the patients won't have to appear before the committees."

Terrorists open fire on Israelis at bus stop next to Ofra, north of Jerusalem.

There is a report of a shooting at the Ofra Junction.

Details to follow.

Anti-Israel demonstrators protest outside of Tunisian Tourist Ministry, targeting country's Jewish Tourism Minister.

Former mayor of Jerusalem, Nir Barkat, arrived this evening at the hesder yeshiva in Sderot for the festive lighting of the eighth light of Hanukkah in a Hanukkiah which was composed entirely of parts from Qassam rockets fired at the city.

Barkat said, "I stand here and salute you students of the Hesder Yeshiva. You are the best of the youth, and like you, youth throughout the country must know how to join large projects and settle the periphery." Rabbi David Fendel, who heads the yeshiva, said, "While they dig tunnels, they look at us and see us building buildings. And while they fly [incendiary] kites, they see more and more people coming to Sderot."

Lebanese TV publishes pictures of IDF soldiers marking the Israel-Lebanon border taken by Hezbollah terrorists at close range.

French Member of Parliament Meir Habib said, Sunday, "If the justice minister awards the Human Rights Prize to B'Tselem and al-Haq, I will demand her resignation." He asked. "At precisely the time when France is grappling with the most severe and difficult riots that it has known, they choose to award the Republic Prize to organizations affiliated with terrorist organizations and boycotting the State of Israel?"

Habib continued, "There is a law in France and it unequivocally prohibits any kind of boycott." He concluded, "It is unacceptable that our justice minister will award people who want to violate the law."

Ahead of tomorrow's meeting of the Knesset Finance Committee, Channel 10 Television reports it has received a copy of an internal mail sent to public transportation companies that says the monthly budget they are set to receive for December will be cut by at least 20 percent. The companies say that could mean cuts in service or the recently-raised wages of drivers.

The apparent reason is the opposition of Committee Chairman Moshe Gafni to transferring 1.3 billion shekels to the Transportation Ministry due to his opposition to Israel Railways work on the Jewish Sabbath. The ministry has denied that there will be cuts in service this month. A ministry statement said it expected Gafni to approve the public-transportation budgets.

Wife of primary suspect in Duma arson trial claims investigators ignoring her testimony validating her husband's alibi.

Minister of Social Equality Gila Gamliel eulogized singer and artist Yigal Bashan, who passed away at the age of 68, saying, "Anyone who grew up in the '80s remembers how we bit our nails before the Hoppa Hey broadcast. It was the soundtrack of youth with the greatest heroes of life and the songs and stories that connected us to this land."

She concluded, "Rest in peace, Yigal. The country will play your wonderful songs, tonight."

Seventy Torah scrolls have been donated to the Israel Defense Forces from Jewish communities around the world, in memory of fallen soldiers.

The Torah scrolls were brought to Israel after they were not used in those communities, and are being given to synagogues at IDF bases all over the country. Uri Duppelt, who heads the Oz veHadar Torah-donation program, says more than a hundred scrolls have been donated in recent years.

Minister of Education Naftali Bennett has eulogized singer and artist Yigal Bashan, who passed away at the age of 68.

Writing on Twitter, Bennett said, "On evenings of singing with a guitar we sang 'If You Remember Me Sivan' by Yigal Bashan and we chanted chords. Bashan always conveyed optimism and love of the land in which we remain. We'll all miss him. "

3 drivers arrested after committing 26 separate offenses including speeding and driving on wrong side of the road.

The social workers' union will strike all social services in the Southern District on Monday, due to what the union calls the continued disregard of Minister of Finance Moshe Kahlon and Welfare Minister Haim Katz for the crisis in the sector.

The social workers are protesting violence against them and a lack of staffing.

Culture and Sports Minister Miri Regev has eulogized Yigal Bashan, who passed away at the age of 68, calling him "one of our talented artists, who made all of us more than 'a little bird in the heart'. We will miss his songs, the songs of our lives."