No injuries or damage was reported following the moderate earthquake.
The quake began at 7:58 AM. The epicenter of the quake was located near the Jewish town of Maaleh Ephraim, in the Jordan Valley region of Samaria. Tremors were felt as far away as Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and Amman, Jordan.
The quake was caused by plates shifting beneath the Dead Sea. Scientists say small quakes are generally a good thing, as they act to release tension that could build up to cause a larger seismic event.
The Jordan Valley rift is a major fault line. About 400 earthquakes occur in Israel each year, yet most are so minor only a seismograph can detect them.