Mideast Report

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Soldiers at an Israeli jail thwarted an attempt to smuggle cellular phones to Palestinian prisoners.

The phones were hidden in a shipment of frozen chickens, Israel Radio reported. The driver of the delivery truck, a Jerusalem resident, was detained for questioning.

Vet designs masks that fit house pets

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- An Israeli vet developed masks to protect domestic pets from chemical or biological attack.

Rafi Kishon said the masks will be available in a number of sizes to fit cats and dogs, and will cost between $12 and $18, Reuters reported.

He said the masks are not intended for long-term use, but rather to evacuate a pet to safety through an area contaminated by biological or chemical agents.

'Sesame Street' gets Mideast makeover

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- The European Union is sponsoring a joint production of "Sesame Street" by Israel, Jordan and the Palestinian Authority.

Brussels has allotted more than $2 million for the project, which involves production of 26, 15-minute long episodes, the Israeli daily Ha'aretz reported.

A previous co-production involving Israel and the Palestinian Authority aired in 1998.

Jane Fonda visits Israeli legislators

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Actress Jane Fonda met with suicide bombing victims and female legislators in Israel.

Fonda met last Friday with Knesset members Yael Dayan and Naomi Chazan, who are advocates of women's rights, and visited Israelis wounded in Palestinian terror attacks who are recovering in one of Hadassah's hospitals in Jerusalem.

Her visit was sponsored by the women's group V-day, which works to stop violence against women. Over the weekend, Fonda visited Palestinian-controlled areas.

Peres says redefine what defines Judaism

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- The definition of a Jew should not depend on having a Jewish parent or grandparent, but on how parents raise their children, Israel's former foreign minister said.

Speaking to a group of new immigrants in Netanya on Saturday, Foreign Minister Shimon Peres said a Jew is someone who raises children in Israel, sends them to the army and sometimes even loses them in battle, Israel Radio quoted the minister as saying.

Peres said that if rabbis want to define who is a Jew, "We will define who is a rabbi," the report said.

Israel won't vaccinate public against smallpox

JERUSALEM (JTA) -- Israel's Health Ministry decided not to vaccinate the public against smallpox.

Ministry officials said they reached the decision because they believe there is no strong threat of an Iraqi biological attack.

Israel has vaccinated about 15,000 health and rescue personnel against smallpox in recent weeks because of the growing threat of war between the United States and Iraq.