City Notes: Two boys injured in ATV accident

21-year-old arrested with stolen IDF gear; rare rain graces TA area; Sudanese children to remain 'separate'; cops raid fake vodka operation.

By COMPILEDMICHAEL OMER-MAN
Youth riding ATV all terrain vehicle 521 (photo credit: Thinkstock/Imagebank)
Youth riding ATV all terrain vehicle 521
(photo credit: Thinkstock/Imagebank)
NORTH
Two boys injured in ATV accident
Two nine-year-old boys were injured, one seriously and one moderately, when their ATV overturned on Wednesday near Moshav Sde Ilan in the Lower Galilee. Magen David Adom paramedics evacuated the two to Haifa’s Rambam Medical Center. The driver was taken to the hospital with light injuries. Police opened an investigation into the incident.
Fire in factory, residents evacuated
Police evacuated Yesud Hama’ala in the Upper Galilee on Friday after a large fire broke out in the Yesud Kor factory nearby. Police feared the fire would spread to a large ammonia container on the premises, which could send deadly fumes toward the town. The residents were sent to the Sonol gas station at the Yesud Hama’ala junction.
Four fire crews worked to extinguish the fire and a hazardous materials team was dispatched in case chemicals were released. Residents were allowed to return to their homes several hours later.
Kinneret drops below ‘red line’
Lake Kinneret has dropped 15 centimeters since the beginning of August, falling below the bottom “red line” limit. The water level is 213.1 meters below acceptable levels. Some 700 million liters of water evaporate from the lake every day.
Three drown over weekend
Three people drowned last week in the waters off beaches in the country’s north.
On Thursday, the body of a man in his forties washed up on Achziv Beach, near Nahariya. On Friday, a 40-year-old man was discovered drowned at Michmoret Beach, near Hadera. Magen David Adom paramedics attempted to resuscitate him, but declared him dead at the scene.
On Saturday, a 42-year-old drowned at Neveh Yam Beach. Paramedics attempted to resuscitate the man, but were unable to save his life. Police did not suspect foul play in any of the deaths.
CENTER
Cop indicted for negligence leading to death
The Police Internal Investigations Department submitted an indictment late last week against an officer, Boreh Ratzon, for negligence leading to the death of a detainee, Hazan Abu Alba’ad.
Ratzon, an officer from the Tel Aviv District, arrested Alba’ad last year on suspicion of breaking and entering. During the arrest, the suspect was lying on the sidewalk with his hands bound behind his back when Ratzon began to dismantle his gun. A bullet was discharged from the weapon and hit Alba’ad in his back, killing him instantly.
21-year-old arrested with stolen IDF gear
A search conducted by police from the Glilot Police Station last week resulted in the discovery of what police suspected was stolen military equipment.
At the apartment in Herzliya, officers found 10 military-grade smoke grenades, small explosives charges and a firearm, all suspected of being stolen property belonging to the IDF. The 21-year-old suspect was arrested in the raid and brought to court by police for a remand hearing.
Domestic violence leaves woman badly hurt
A 30-year-old Rehovot woman was left in serious condition early Sunday morning after her partner allegedly slammed her head into a railing in their apartment building’s stairwell. The attack reportedly took place after the woman escaped the couple’s apartment following a fight.
Magen David Adom paramedics dispatched to the scene found the woman unconscious and evacuated her to Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot in serious condition with head injuries. Police said they had arrested the suspect, the woman’s partner, who was to be brought to court for a remand extension hearing Sunday.
Rare August rain graces TA area
Light rain fell in Tel Aviv and other areas of central Israel in the early hours of Sunday morning. Rain was reported in Rishon Lezion and in the area of Ben-Gurion Airport. It marked the first time rain had fallen in Israel this summer – a rare occurrence.
Cyclists killed by dozing young driver
Two cyclists, both Rishon Lezion residents in their 60s, were killed Saturday morning after being hit by a car on Route 3 near Nahal Sorek. The 18-year-old driver of the vehicle was returning from a night out in Ashdod with a friend when he reportedly fell asleep at the wheel, veered onto the shoulder and struck a group of riders. He was detained for questioning and later had his remand extended.
In addition to the two dead, five riders were injured in the incident. Two were in moderate to serious condition, while three others sustained light injuries. All the injured were evacuated by Magen David Adom paramedics to Kaplan Medical Center in Rehovot.
SOUTH
Sudanese children to remain separate
Children of Sudanese asylum-seekers and refugees will not be integrated into the local education system in Eilat following an administrative court decision last week to delay handing down a ruling on the matter until March. The decision to delay the court ruling was designed to give the Education Ministry time to review the situation.
The petition to integrate the children into the local school system was filed by lawyers for the Refugee Rights Clinic at Tel Aviv University, the Hotline for Migrant Workers on behalf of the children's parents.
In the decision to delay ruling on the matter, the court cited an opinion filed by Prof. Ruth Gavison at the request of the Eilat Municipality, which said that while the state had an obligation to provide an education to all children in the state, the temporary and unclear legal status of the asylum-seekers and refugees meant that the state’s obligation to provide equal and integrated services was not the same as it would be to a legal resident or citizen.
Police raid counterfeit vodka operation
Late last week, following an investigation and undercover operation, police raided a small factory in Kiryat Malachi that was producing counterfeit vodka for sale in Israel. Police seized hundreds of bottles they suspected were being prepared to be filled with the fake vodka, labeled as Absolut, Ruski Standard and Grey Goose brands.
A 55-year-old Gan Yavne man was arrested under suspicion of operating the illegal factory, a charge police say he admitted to.
Police said the speed with which they busted the operation had prevented the man from selling his counterfeit liquor to local businesses and individuals. The liquor was being distilled in containers labeled for storing detergents, the Local website reported.
Solidarity flotilla sets sail
The “Blue-and-White Flotilla,” a small fleet of four boats, set sail Sunday afternoon from the Ashkelon Marina on a mission to show solidarity with Israel and express appreciation of its defense forces, especially the navy.
Four hundred people participated in the Young Leadership Department of the World Mizrachi Movement and Yavneh Olami student organization initiative to raise morale among Israeli soldiers and citizens.
One of the boats was named for kidnapped soldier Gilad Schalit, while a second one was called Jonathan Pollard, echoing the flotilla participants’ call for the release of Schalit and Pollard as an additional objective of their campaign, according to Army Radio.
The flotilla eventually docked in the Ashdod Marina, where the Mibereishit band gave a live performance.
Man ‘finds’ refugees work, then robs them
An Eilat man was arrested this week on suspicion of robbing refugees living in a neighboring home after he offered them work. A police investigation revealed that the 29-year-old suspect told the refugees that he had found work for them, and that they could begin immediately. When his neighbors left, the man broke into their home and stole their belongings, including computers and cellular phones.
After being called by the refugees, police located the man, who resisted arrest and assaulted the officers. Police found the stolen property in the suspect’s possession, the Local website reported.
Two drown at Ashkelon beaches
A 25-year-old man drowned in the waters off Zikim Beach in the Ashkelon area over the weekend. Shortly before 6 p.m. on Saturday, Magen David Adom received a report of a young man pulled out of the water at the beach, along with another youth who was also having trouble reaching shore. MDA paramedics attempted to resuscitate the youth while evacuating him to Barzilai Medical Center, but pronounced him dead. Police were investigating the incident.
On Friday, a 50-year-old man drowned in the waters off Ashkelon’s Bar Kochba Beach.