Articles by October, 2020

President Donald Trump is back at the White House after three days in Walter Reed Military Hospital near the White House. His doctors said his condition was good, but the next few days are critical to ensure his condition does not deteriorate. President Trump left Walter Reed Hospital nearby during the night. He walked on his own to the car and from there to the helicopter and put on a mask. The president waved his toes in the air, but did not answer reporters' questions. Before leaving, the president tweeted that he intends to return to the election campaign soon. Upon landing the...

Confrontation within the Likud at the top of the government: Finance Minister Israel Katz sharply criticized the closure policy led by the Ministry of Health with the support of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In internal finance ministry discussions on formulating an economic assistance program for the self-employed and unemployed, the minister said: "I will not let millions of people sink into despair and disgrace from hunger because of wrong decisions by the Ministry of Health to close the economy indiscriminately and without any health justification

The government approved tonight in a telephone poll the extension of regulations prohibiting demonstrations more than a kilometer from the place of residence until October 13. This is only about a quarter of an hour before it expires. In addition, restrictions on trade activities and gatherings have been extended, including in prayers or religious ceremonies. It will be interesting to see if extending the restrictions will prevent demonstrations across the country. So far, restrictions have prevented major demonstrations in Paris Square near the prime minister's residence but have led to...

Israel has experienced day and night hundreds of fires across the country. Most of the fires broke out due to the heavy heat that hit Israel on Friday. However, the fire services estimate that there were quite a few arsons. However, this will become clear after most of the fires have been extinguished and it will be possible to start investigations. The firefighters gained control of most of the fires towards Friday evening, but on Mount Deborah near the Galilee landscape the fire was still raging during the evening and night. Dozens of firefighting planes from the Elad Squadron that...

The closure continues to deepen the decline in consumption data, according to recent data on the volume of credit card use in the past week published by the Bank of Israel. The data show a significant slowdown in all sectors of the economy. The average daily volume of credit card use was NIS 848 million, a decrease of 10% compared to the pre-crisis period. In the previous week, the average daily use was NIS 1.09 billion (an increase of 11% compared to the pre-crisis period). In examining the various industries, the decrease in expenditure on education and leisure of about 50% in the...

Public protest is gaining momentum and does not exist among the affected public but permeates the business sector. The fashion, catering and retail chains are announcing that they will open the stores early next week, even in closed malls. This will be done in violation of the closure provisions, which allow the opening of only stores that have been defined as essential, including food and pharma stores, home maintenance stores and optics stores. Although today (Sunday) there will be a discussion chaired by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the plan to leave the quarantine, according to...

The resignation of the director general of the Ministry of Finance, Keren Terner Eyal, just five months after taking office, is taking its toll on the ministry: in the next two weeks, senior officials of the Ministry of Finance and the Bank of Israel will hold meetings with the three major credit rating companies - S&P Israel's current situation and its ability to meet its obligations. The meetings will be held this time in Zoom, and will not include shared and friendly meals with representatives of the rating companies. Generally, rating agencies do not take an interest in the retirement...

The International Monetary Fund has published its half-yearly global economic forecast (October 2020) and it seeks to dispel some optimism compared to the publication in April 2020. Also in relation to Israel, the forecast is less bad, but still - our recession will be severe compared to other developed countries. Precisely in the midst of the second wave of the corona, the fund's economists "softened" the recession forecasts published six months ago, and now the global economic contraction in 2020 is expected to stand at 4.4% (real decline in global GDP) instead of 5.2% when the plague...

How is it possible that the number of businesses closing is actually declining when Israel is experiencing one of the biggest economic crises in the country's history. According to data from the business information company, CofaceBdi, between January and September 2020, 49,125 businesses were actually closed. In contrast, data from the Tax Authority show that only 14,271 business owners reported to the Tax Authority the closure of a business during this period. According to CofaceBdi, in July and August the number of businesses that ceased operations increased sharply (87% and 99%,...

The Corona Cabinet on Thursday approved the first phase of easing the general closure. According to the Cabinet decision, educational institutions for children up to the age of six will return to activity, as well as businesses that are not audience recipients. In addition, the restriction that only one thousand meters away from the place of residence is allowed will be removed, and it will be possible to visit other people's homes. In addition, takeaway services will be available in restaurants in addition to deliveries, beaches and nature reserves will be open to the general public,...