Mideast Report

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- An earthquake measuring 5.2 on the Richter scale shook parts of Israel on Tuesday night, but caused no damage or injuries.

The tremor's epicenter was located near Cyprus along a fault line that has been active in recent years.

Shamir lambastes outgoing premier

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Outgoing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ruined the Likud Party, his predecessor as party head said over the weekend.

"It will take some time for the Likud to rise again and return to what it was," former Prime Minister Yitzhak Shamir told Army Radio.

Shamir added that he had cast a blank ballot in last week's election rather than give his vote to Netanyahu.

Couple of 52 years splits over elections

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Last week's Israeli elections split up a marriage of 52 years, an elderly couple told Israel Radio.

Esther Yaron said her husband threatened to leave her after she voted for Labor Party leader Ehud Barak.

Her husband, Shamai, said he decided to move to an old-age home after Barak was elected. "I'll find another woman there," he added.

Israeli fires erupting amid heat wave

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Firefighters are combating blazes across Israel that are being blamed on a heat wave.

More than 60 fires have erupted there this week, including two in the Arab village of Sakhnin that destroyed some 25 acres of woodlands.

Palestinians arrest senior Hamas official

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Palestinian police arrested a senior Hamas militant who has been on Israel's most-wanted list for seven years, a Palestinian security official said Sunday.

Police arrested Sa'ad al-Arabeed, an aide to Mohammed Deif, the fugitive leader of the Hamas military wing who tops Israel's most-wanted list.