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JERUSALEM (JTA) — Psychiatrists examining an Israeli soldier who opened fire Jan. 1 on Palestinians in the Hebron market have concluded that he was mentally unstable at the time.

The panel of three psychiatrists was appointed by a court to determine whether Noam Friedman is capable to stand trial in connection with the incident, in which six Palestinians were wounded.

The panel of three psychiatrists concluded that Friedman was not in control of his actions at the time and that he still requires hospitalization.

The panel is scheduled to submit its findings to the military court where Friedman was charged in the shooting.

Friedman, a religious Jew, said after his arrest that he had felt compelled to stop the Hebron redeployment from being carried out.

China makes deal with Israeli firm

JERUSALEM (JPS) — Israel's Dead Sea Works has received a $10 million order for 100,000 tons of potash from Chinese chemical concern Sinochem, Israel Chemicals chairman Shoul Eisenberg said last week.

Eisenberg and China's vice premier Li Lanqing, who was visiting Israel this week, announced the deal.

Israel Chemicals, the parent company of Dead Sea Works, is also building a potash plant with Chinese partners, according to Erwin Eisenberg, the CEO of Israel Corp., a holding company controlled by Shoul Eisenberg.

Russian spy's name released to public

JERUSALEM (JPS) — The identity of a spy who sent Israel's secrets by Morse code to the KGB and is serving a 15-year sentence was made public Monday after the Supreme Court lifted a ban on publication of the affair.

Roman Weisfeld, now 55, was recruited by the KGB in the Soviet Union in 1976 with the express purpose of immigrating to Israel in order to collect military and political information.

Weisfeld, who got a job as an engineer at a Haifa firm, sent the KGB data about Israel's ties with Arab countries, the United States and Third World nations. The information was believed to have been passed on to Arab countries as well.

In return, he received large sums of money and was promised an apartment in the Soviet Union if he wished to return.

Yemen to step up relations with Israel

JERUSALEM (JTA) — Israeli and Yemeni officials are discussing the establishment of interest offices in each other's countries as a first step toward establishing official ties.

Foreign Minister David Levy on Monday confirmed reports that the director general of Israel's Foreign Ministry, Eitan Ben-Tsur, had met over the weekend in Europe with Yemen's foreign minister.

"We are maintaining channels of communication," Levy told Israel Radio during a visit to China this week, adding that Israel was moving "toward the main thing — another country with which we can open an interest office."

Further confirmation came from Yemen, where President Ali Abdullah Saleh told reporters that his country supports the normalization of ties with Israel and that contacts were under way.

As a first step toward expanded ties, Yemeni officials will allow up to 10,000 Israelis of Yemeni background to visit Yemen and allow Israeli companies to invest in Yemen, according to the Israeli daily Yediot Achronot.

Russian spy's name released to public

JERUSALEM (JPS) — The identity of a spy who sent Israel's secrets by Morse code to the KGB and is serving a 15-year sentence was made public Monday after the Supreme Court lifted a ban on publication of the affair.

Roman Weisfeld, now 55, was recruited by the KGB in the Soviet Union in 1976 with the express purpose of immigrating to Israel in order to collect military and political information.

Weisfeld, who got a job as an engineer at a Haifa firm, sent the KGB data about Israel's ties with Arab countries, the United States and Third World nations. The information was believed to have been passed on to Arab countries as well.

In return, he received large sums of money and was promised an apartment in the Soviet Union if he wished to return.