Government

On the occasion of the 70th anniversary of the establishment of the State of Israel, the leaders of the industry were presented as part of a festive event at the President's Residence in Jerusalem and in the presence of President Reuven Rivlin. The award was awarded to Stef Wertheimer, Yossi Vardi, Dan Propper, Sami Sagol, Maxine Fassberg, Yehuda and Zohar Zisapel, Giora Ackerstein, Rim and Imad Yunes, Shimon Eckhaus and Morris Kahn. The award is intended to express the appreciation of Israeli society to industry leaders who have contributed significantly to the development of Israeli...

The Knesset plenum approved in a second and third reading the bill of the chairman of the Economics Committee, MK Eitan Cabel, to shorten the waiting times for a professional human response to deal with malfunctions, clarify the state of the account and end the contract. The amendment will apply to all companies in the economy, including, in an unprecedented manner, also to banks and insurance companies, and will come into effect in another nine months.

The state of Israel is not properly prepared for an earthquake. Most hospitals in the north are not earthquake-resistant; 2,350 schools operate in buildings that are not earthquake-resistant; 99% of the public buildings that require reinforcement have not yet been strengthened. In fact, only 52 public buildings have been reinforced in the past decade, 50 schools and two hospitals have been partially renovated. State Comptroller Joseph Shapira's report on "preparedness for earthquakes - buildings and infrastructure" published revealed the enormous destruction expected in Israel during a...

about seven hours into the Israeli assault in the Gaza strip yesterdy, a Hamas spokesman announced that the cease-fire had been restored with the mediation of Egypt and the United Nations. There was no immediate confirmation of a renewed truce from the Israeli side although all Israeli attacks stopped and during the night no rockets were fired to Israel. Israeli warplanes launched Friday night a large-scale attack across the Gaza Strip on one of the fiercest in years, after a Palestinian sniper killed an Israeli soldier along the border fence during a day of escalating hostilities

A ministerial committee for reserve soldiers has approved a plan that includes benefits for reservists who own small and medium-sized businesses. Benefits include: - The Ministry of Economy and Industry, through the Small and Medium Enterprises Agency, will promote and encourage businesses owned by active reservists. Preference shall be given to the employment track of the Ministry operated by the Investment Authority. - A dedicated business technological accelerator will be established for active reservists, who will be budgeted jointly by the Ministries of Defense and Economics at a...

The Finance Committee of the Knesset approved the plan of the Government Companies Authority to sell 20% of the shares of the Israel Postal Company from the government to a private strategic investor, and another 20% to the public. However, the committee demanded that the Authority and the Ministry of Finance report to the Knesset in the future in order to obtain its approval of the order of vital interests that the Minister of Finance will issue prior to privatization

Interior Minister Aryeh Deri has decided not to approve Shabbat laws that allow the operation of supermarkets in five secular cities, Interior Ministry director general Mordechai Cohen announced in letters to Modi'in, Rishon Letzion, Givatayim, Herzliya and Holon All five municipalities passed by-laws prior to the approval of the Supermarket Law in January this year or shortly thereafter with the aim of bringing the law into force. The municipality of Rishon LeZion has already petitioned the High Court of Justice three months ago after the Interior Ministry's response to the matter was...

Prime Minister Netanyahu is planning an unprecedented increase in the defense budget, to the extent that it will cost more than NIS 100 billion a year. Today, the annual budget of the IDF, the Mossad and the Shin Bet totals NIS 70 billion. The Netanyahu plan was presented today at the meeting of the political-security cabinet. Among other things, the budgets for the air defense systems - Arrow, Iron Dome and a magic wand - will be increased, as will the construction of a fence along the Jordanian border. The plan will be presented shortly to the General Staff forum and senior Mossad...

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was questioned on Friday in the Bezeq case again for four hours. Police investigators and the Securities and Exchange Commission arrived at the Prime Minister's residence on Balfour Street in Jerusalem for his eighth investigation into this case and presented him with new testimonies and findings. The controlling shareholder of Bezeq and its former board chairman, Shaul Elovitch, was again questioned today, and his driver was also required to enter the interrogation room, where he gave open testimony