During the event, the fishing boat and the net they were using to fish were seized and confiscated. The net contained dozens of fish of various species, including fish smaller than the legally permitted size. It was also found that the suspects were not only fishing within a nature reserve – they were doing so without a fishing license. The fishermen were detained at the port of Hadera, where they were handed over for further treatment by the Nature and Parks Authority as part of an investigation that was opened.

Guy Levian, Deputy Director of the Marine Unit at the Nature and Parks Authority: “The successful cooperation between the authorities led us to the swift apprehension of the offenders. I thank the Tel Aviv Marine Police for their assistance in the enforcement operation, which was carried out quickly and professionally. Fishing laws exist to keep our sea healthy, which also helps nature but ultimately also helps fishing. Nature reserves serve as a safe haven for fish to reproduce, which leads to an increase in fish populations along all coasts. If we prevent fish from reproducing in nature reserves – their numbers will also decrease in areas permitted for fishing, so protecting them is also in the interest of fishing. We see that gradually fishermen are beginning to understand and internalize the laws, but there are still those who try to find loopholes. We will continue to enforce and protect marine nature with vigilance.”

Guy Rubinstein, Director of the Fishing Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development: The Fishing Department at the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development views any deviation from fishing regulations seriously, including fishing for fish below the permitted size. The minimum size limit for fishing is one of the principles established for responsible management of the fish resource, with the aim of allowing fish to complete their life cycle and reproduce, thereby maintaining stable and healthy populations over time. Israel’s fishing policy is based on a comprehensive view of the marine and marine-terrestrial ecosystem, and combines breeding seasons, permitted and prohibited fishing methods, supervision and enforcement, alongside continuous monitoring and scientific knowledge accumulation. All these tools are part of a single framework designed to ensure the continued existence of the fish resource for the benefit of the public, fishermen, and future generations.”

The Nature and Parks Authority reminds that fishing within the Gador Nature Reserve is prohibited. Fishing should only be done according to the law and in permitted areas. Since 2018, the Nature and Parks Authority has been acting as the body responsible for enforcing the Fishing Ordinance and the fishing regulations determined by the Fishing Department of the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development.
 

Jerusalem, 6 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Officers from the Arad police station (located west of the Dead Sea) and the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) located and arrested 33 illegal residents of Judea and Samaria who entered Israel illegally.

Jerusalem, 6 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli forces recently attacked Hezbollah terrorists in the southern Lebanon area of Khirbet Salem, the Israel Defense Forces said.

Jerusalem, 6 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli authorities are probing several textile firms suspected of exploiting the Israel-US-Egypt QIZ (Qualified Industrial Zone) agreement to smuggle goods duty-free.

The companies — AEDKT Tel Aviv, IL Fabrics, CNR Textiles, and MLA Zippers — allegedly exported fabrics and threads to Egypt without the required processing in Israel, submitting false declarations, the Israel Tax Authority said.

The alleged offenses, estimated at NIS 27 million ($8.5 million), may violate multiple laws, including customs, VAT, and money laundering, while harming domestic and international competition.

Owners and a manager were detained for questioning, factories searched, and materials seized.

Minister of Agriculture and Food Security, MK Avi Dichter: “Protein from the sea or from water is a significant component of food security in the Red Sea, as well as in the Mediterranean Sea and in fish ponds across the country. To grow a lot of fish, which provide a lot of protein, you don’t need a lot of water, but mainly a lot of R&D and entrepreneurship, and the use of AI tools to turn a pond into a reservoir, a reservoir into a sea, and a sea into an ocean. Together with my colleagues in the government, Minister of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience MK Yitzhak Wasserlauf and Minister of Regional Cooperation Mr. Dudi Amsalem, we initiated the conference in Eilat, which is attended by people from all over the world, including ministers and professional delegations, to cooperate and share knowledge in building a better future for food security in Israel and around the world. There is no doubt that the potential of water is in the sky, the knowledge that Israel has and the experience in the world will connect at the conference in Eilat. Good luck to all.”

 Minister of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, MK Yitzhak Wasserlauf: “The Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience is leading a multi-year government program for the development of Eilat and the Eilot region as a national and international hub for food production from the sea and the desert. In the Eilat-Eilot region, advanced research is being conducted in the fields of marine agriculture and biotechnology, renewable energy, and marine research. The Sea the Future 2026 conference will present the cooperation between all active parties in the Negev, as part of strengthening it, and with the aim of strengthening farmers, researchers, authorities, and serving as a global attraction, thanks to the potential that may bring aquaculture to a central part of future food security.”

In a world where the effects of climate change are worsening, and the population continues to grow, food production systems must also adapt to changing needs. The local aquaculture industry is a small industry that has been gaining momentum in recent years, thanks to its immense potential as a sustainable, nutritious, and efficient source of protein, which can become a central part of future food security. This month (January), the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience will hold the international conference Sea the Future 2026 in Eilat. The conference will focus on research, innovation, technology, and development in the field of food security from aquaculture.

The conference, which is held as part of a multi-year government decision to develop the city of Eilat and the Eilot region, is intended to serve as a professional platform for meetings between researchers, farmers, professionals, industry representatives, and entrepreneurs from Israel and around the world. This way, Israeli agriculture can be promoted, national and international collaborations can be created, and the link between research, development, and application in the field of aquaculture can be strengthened. International delegations from countries interested in technological and research cooperation will attend the conference, including: the Ministers of Agriculture and Fisheries of India, Azerbaijan, Albania, and Ghana, the Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Georgia, and professional delegations from Romania and Morocco.

During the three days of the conference, a wide range of Israeli startup technologies in the field, groundbreaking research, and professional panels of industry leaders will be presented. Among the topics: marine agriculture, advanced marine technologies, innovation and policy in the field of seafood, development of sustainable marine food systems, and research and technological cooperation. In addition, the national food security program, formulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security after a work process involving government ministries, associations, and organizations, and recently including the incorporation of public comments, will be presented.
The Eilat-Eilot region, characterized by a unique combination of sea, desert, and extreme climate conditions, is a natural environment for the development of applied and innovative research. Advanced research is conducted in this region in the fields of marine agriculture, marine biotechnology, renewable energy, and marine sciences, alongside research in oceanography (sea and ocean sciences) and limnology (lake and freshwater sciences). This activity contributes to the development of innovative solutions to address environmental, economic, and social challenges.

Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Oren Lavi: “In an era where climate change and demographic growth pose unprecedented challenges to global food systems, we must look ahead and act today to promote aquaculture as a national infrastructure for a more secure future. In Israel, between the sea and the desert, a global model for food security, innovation, and research is emerging. At the Sea the Future 2026 conference, we will present the collaborations between government, research, and industry, and demonstrate how groundbreaking ideas become reality.”

Director General of the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, Yochai Mali: “We are pleased to be partners with the Eilat Municipality and the Eilot Regional Council, along with the Ministry of Agriculture, in realizing the natural assets of the region – the sea, the desert, and the climate conditions – for the benefit of the farmers, researchers, and residents of the region. The international conference is another step that assists in the development of applied and innovative research that will lead to advanced solutions that will help address environmental, economic, and social challenges.”

The conference will be broadcast live on the Facebook, LinkedIn, and YouTube pages of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience.

For more details about the conference, visit now: www.gov.il/he/departments/topics/sea_the_future_2026

The Tax Authority, through the Jerusalem Customs and VAT investigations, has been conducting a covert investigation for some time into a complex and extensive affair, at the center of which are several Israeli companies in the textile field: AEDKT Tel Aviv, IL Fabrics, CNR Textiles, and MLA Zippers.

The companies are listed on the export quota within the QIZ (Qualified Industrial Zone) agreement, which is jointly held by Israel, the United States, and Egypt. This agreement grants duty exemption in the US on goods arriving from Egypt that have undergone a certain processing in Israel, all with the aim of encouraging Israeli-Egyptian relations in return for extensive economic benefits from the US.

According to suspicion, the Israeli companies carried out dozens of smuggling operations of fabrics and threads in exports to Egypt without undergoing any change or processing in Israel as stated in the agreement, all under a false guise and by exploiting the agreement and submitting false export declarations to the tax authorities in Israel. The scope of the offenses is estimated at NIS 27 million.

Due to the actions, there is suspicion of offenses under the Customs Ordinance, the Import and Export Ordinance, the VAT Law, the Prohibition of Money Laundering Law, and the Penal Law. In addition, the offenses may constitute severe damage to competition in the industry in Israel and abroad, and even cast a shadow over Israel’s international relations.

Today, the investigation became public – when the owners of the companies, Avihai Hamiel, and their manager, Meir Kaiserman – were detained for investigation. In addition, extensive searches were conducted at several sites, including the companies’ factories, and a large amount of material was seized. Subsequently, the owner and manager were brought before a Magistrate’s Court judge and released under restrictive conditions. The investigation is ongoing, and many witnesses are expected to be questioned as part of it.  
 

Jerusalem, 6 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel is turning the spotlight on the future of food at the international “Sea the Future 2026” conference in Eilat this month. The three-day event will explore how aquaculture — from 3D-printed fish to AI-powered algae farms and sustainable fish vaccination — can revolutionize global food security. Ministers and experts from India, Romania, Morocco, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Albania, and Ghana are attending to exchange knowledge and forge partnerships.

The conference also showcases the Eilat region’s unique combination of sea, desert, and extreme climate as an emerging global hub for marine innovation and sustainable protein production.

The event is being organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience.

Jerusalem, 6 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar reportedly landed in Somaliland on Tuesday for a historic visit, the first by a senior Israeli official since Israel formally recognized the self-declared state in December. Unconfirmed reports Somaliland media reports say Sa’ar will meet President Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi in Hargeisa and visit the strategic Red Sea port of Berbera, opposite Yemen. The Israeli Foreign Ministry has not commented on the reports.

Jerusalem, 6 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of Communications has published its third incentive tender aimed at completing nationwide fiber-optic deployment, targeting the country’s remaining remote and underserved areas. The tender covers locations including Jerusalem, Rosh HaAyin, Beit Shemesh, Arad and several smaller communities. The initiative is designed to extend high-speed internet access to households not reached due to limited economic viability.

Nearly 95% of Israeli households already have access to fiber-optic infrastructure. Previous incentive tenders have connected more than 200,000 homes. A bidders’ conference is scheduled for January 26, with comments due by February 9 and final proposals by March 16, 2026.