Articles by December, 2024

McDonald's Israel will soon offer customers a free product with their online orders, following a class action settlement approved today (Tuesday) by the Central District Court in Lod. The settlement, which resolves claims of misleading pricing, will allow online orderers to select one free item from three options: a half-liter bottle of water (NIS 13), a 330 ml can of Coke Zero (NIS 10), or regular-sized fries (100 grams, NIS 18)

The Knesset plenum approved the state budget laws and the 2025 economic plan in a first reading late Monday night. The budget, totaling approximately 609 billion shekels, aims for a deficit target of 4.4%. The approval came amid significant political tensions surrounding disagreements within the ruling coalition

Israel and Saudi Arabia have reached a significant breakthrough in talks to normalize relations, which could also pave the way for a deal on the release of hostages held by Hamas and bring an end to the ongoing war in the Gaza Strip. Sources close to the discussions revealed that, instead of explicit Israeli recognition of a Palestinian state, as Saudi Arabia has long demanded, Israel has agreed to offer a more ambiguous commitment to "a path towards a Palestinian state." This wording would allow Saudi Arabia to maintain its stance of supporting Palestinian aspirations without forcing...

Israel's National Insurance Institute (NII) has published its annual poverty report for 2023, revealing that while the country's poverty rate has not increased, it remains alarmingly high compared to other developed nations. The report attributes the stabilization to government intervention, including special grants, which have even led to a minimal reduction in poverty levels. However, the figures still highlight significant socio-economic challenges, with nearly 2 million people living below the poverty line, including 872,000 children—over 27% of all children in Israel. Key Findings...

Tens of thousands of protesters gathered at Kaplan Junction in Tel Aviv tonight for their weekly demonstration against the government's legal reforms, the controversial draft exemption law, and the ongoing situation of the 100 Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. The protest, which began with a march from Habima Square, was marked by strong speeches from opposition leaders and public figures, who continued to express their outrage over what they view as the government’s failure to address the country’s most pressing issues

Alarms were activated across central Israel on Saturday night, including in the Shephelah, Gush Dan, and Modi'in regions, following a missile launch from Yemen. The missile landed in Jaffa, causing extensive peripheral damage to a residential area on Ba'al Shem Tov Street. At least 16 people were injured, including a 3-year-old girl. The victims, who suffered from injuries caused by flying glass and debris, have been evacuated to hospitals in stable condition

The long-standing Alliance factory in Hadera, a key manufacturer of patented tires, will be permanently closed, Japanese multinational corporation Yokohama announced last month. The closure, set for December 31, 2024, follows a significant decline in orders, attributed to Israel's loss of its competitive edge in transportation, the company explained

Israeli maritime analytics company Windward has announced that American investment fund FTV Capital is acquiring it for $271 million in cash (£216 million). The acquisition, set to close by the end of the first quarter of 2025, reflects a 47% premium on Windward's share price as of the last trading day and a 39% premium over its share price at its December 2021 IPO

The Israeli Ministry of Defense has signed a multibillion-shekel deal with Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI) to purchase a new stock of interceptors for the country’s Arrow missile defense system. The decision to procure additional interceptors comes after the system faced challenges in intercepting ballistic missiles launched from Yemen in recent weeks, including two significant failures. Despite these setbacks, the Ministry of Defense remains confident in the Arrow system's advanced capabilities and its crucial role in Israel's air defense strategy

Legal advisor and Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and State Attorney Amit Isman instructed the Israel Police to open an official investigation into Sara Netanyahu, wife of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on suspicion of witness tampering and obstruction of justice. The decision follows allegations aired in a recent episode of the investigative program "Uvda"