Jerusalem, 24 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of Health purchased approximately 485,000 additional doses of flu vaccine, which landed at Ben Gurion Airport in recent days. Distribution of thousands of vaccine doses to health insurance funds across the country began Tuesday morning.

In addition, in light of the increase in influenza cases, and in order to protect at-risk populations, the Ministry of Health is implementing a dedicated preventive campaign in nursing homes and geriatric institutions across the country.

As part of the operation, protective kits were distributed to 255 nursing homes, including flu vaccines, masks, the drug Tamiflu, and flu diagnostic tests, with the aim of reducing severe morbidity and preventing widespread outbreaks among vulnerable populations.

The Ministry of Health emphasized that the incidence of influenza is on the rise, and recommends that the entire population be vaccinated as soon as possible. Although the flu vaccine does not completely prevent infection, it significantly reduces the risk of serious illness and complications.

Jerusalem, 24 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Minister of Economy and Industry, Nir Barkat, decided to impose an anti-dumping duty on imports of aluminum profiles and aluminum tubes from China for a period of 5 years. The decision was made after fully adopting the recommendations of the Commissioner for Trade Duties at the Ministry of Economy and Industry, Danny Tal, who conducted the investigation, and of the advisory committee, which examined the investigation and its findings, which determined that imports from China are being made at unfair prices (“dumping”) that cause real damage to the local industry.

Anti-dumping duties are a legal trade tool anchored in World Trade Organization (WTO) agreements and are considered one of the most central and common defense tools in international trade, explained Israel’s Import Administration. According to the organization, over the past decade, between 100 and 150 new anti-dumping investigations have been initiated worldwide each year, with China being the country most investigated by a significant margin.

Since 2018, there has been a continuous increase in the number of investigations and levies, against the backdrop of global overcapacity, mainly in the metal, aluminum, and heavy industry sectors. The United States alone currently has hundreds of anti-dumping duties and countervailing duties in force, and the European Union has dozens of active investigations and levies – many of them at rates of tens or even hundreds of percent. Countries with open trade policies, including Canada, the United Kingdom, and Australia, also consistently use this tool as part of their routine toolbox to protect fair competition.

Jerusalem, 23 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Reports about an attack on an Israeli man in a hotel in Limassol because he spoke Hebrew on the phone are unfounded, Cyprus police sources told the Cyprus News Agency.

Israeli media reports, which have been circulating on the internet since yesterday, detail the brutal beating of a young Israeli man, based on what his father reported to the media. According to those reports the attack was carried out by individuals who heard him speaking Hebrew at the hotel entrance. Reportedly, the young man has returned to Israel, where he underwent surgery on his eye which he is in danger of losing.

Police sources told the Cyprus News Agency that “these reports are unfounded” and that the incident occurred when a fight broke out between Israelis during an event at the hotel. “He allegedly got into a fight with his compatriots and stated in writing that he has no complaints,” they added.

Jerusalem, 23 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — For the first time, a combined exercise was conducted today, Tuesday, involving the deployment of emergency and trauma medical teams from the Tel Aviv Medical Center (Ichilov) via an MDA helicopter, and a field hospital from Sheba Medical Center was actually deployed, including emergency medical treatment capabilities, hospitalization, an operating room, consulting clinics, imaging, and a laboratory. The emergency exercise was led by the Ministry of Health and the IDF’s (Israel Defense Forces) Home Front Command and held at the Ziv Medical Center in Safed. The exercise, which is part of a set of actions for emergency preparedness in the health system in general and for earthquakes in particular, simulates a devastating earthquake in Israel.

During the exercise, a discussion was held by the Prime Minister, with the participation of Health Minister Haim Katz, Health Ministry Director General Moshe Bar Siman Tov, Director of the Ziv Medical Center, Prof. Salman Zarka, and senior officials from the hospital as well as senior officials from the Home Front Command.

Ziv Hospital practiced the outline of a desert island, evacuating hospitalization departments and deploying emergency and treatment sites on the hospital grounds, and absorbing victims of the earthquake, both those who will be evacuated to the hospital by MDA and those who will arrive there independently.

Jerusalem, 23 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) said Tuesday night it rushed forces to the village of Husan near Bethlehem after it received a report that two Israeli citizens had accidentally entered the village with their vehicle.

After IDF forces conducted searches of the area, the forces located the citizens and safely rescued them outside the village.

No details were provided as to why the two entered the village.

Jerusalem, 23 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The government approved the multi-year plan for the rehabilitation and development of the settlements on the confrontation line in the north. As part of the plan, the Ministry of Environmental Protection will allocate 154 million Shekels ($48 million) for extensive environmental rehabilitation, including the treatment of agricultural waste, the restoration of streams and open areas, the prevention of asbestos hazards, and the strengthening of supervision and enforcement systems in the northern settlements.

The decision joins a series of previous government decisions in which the ministry allocated significant budgets totaling approximately 65 million Shekels ($20 million) to address hazards and environmental rehabilitation in the north. The decision will allow for the first time multi-year planning and continuous implementation of in-depth environmental measures in the confrontation line area.

“The government decision shapes, for the first time, a clear multi-year environmental plan for the confrontation line area, combining designated budgets from the ministry and the Cleanliness Fund, the Water Authority, and the Nature and Parks Authority. This is an infrastructure for long-term rehabilitation, ensuring safer, healthier, and more resilient communities,” said the Ministry of Environmental Protection.

Jerusalem, 23 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — In order to strengthen public transportation in the north of Israel, for the first time the Ministry of Transportation published a tender for the operation of public transportation lines in the Haifa and Nesher areas, which will include a significant expansion of the public transportation network, increased frequencies, and strengthening transportation connections in the Haifa metropolitan area and adapting the planning to the needs of the residents.

The announcement of the tender is intended to enable the addition of new service lines, increasing frequency, expanding the bus fleet and improving the level of service for passengers, with the aim of making public transportation more accessible, reliable and efficient, and offering the public a worthy alternative to private vehicles.

Jerusalem, 23 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported that the country’s trade deficit in goods (excluding diamonds) amounted to 10.4 billion Shekels ($3.2 billion) in November 2025.

Exports of goods (excluding diamonds) amounted to 16.1 billion Shekels ($5 billion). Of the total exports of goods, exports to European countries accounted for 33%, exports to American countries 33%, exports to Asian countries 20%, and the remaining 14% to the rest of the world.

Imports of goods (excluding diamonds) amounted to 26.5 billion Shekels ($8.3 billion). 47% of imports were from European countries, 33% from Asian countries, 11% from American countries, and the remaining 9% from the rest of the world.

Trend data in recent months (September – November 2025)

Exports of goods to the European Union increased by 22.3%.

Imports of goods from China fell by 19.0%.

Jerusalem, 23 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) said Tuesday evening it rushed forces to the Arab village of Ni’lin, located near Ramallah, following a report that an Israeli civilian had entered the village with her vehicle.

After IDF forces searched the area, the forces located the civilian and safely rescued her outside the village.

No details were provided as to why the woman entered the village.