Jerusalem, 18 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — With the end of the “Iron Swords” war, the easing of travel warnings, and the resumption of flights to Israel, the Ministry of Tourism is preparing for the arrival of approximately 130,000 tourists in December, of which approximately 40,000 are Christian believers for Christmas.

The Ministry of Tourism maintains continuous contact with the leaders of the Christian communities in Israel throughout the year. In honor of the upcoming Christmas, the Ministry’s Director General, Michael Yitzhakov, together with Rakefet Levy, VP of Tourist Experience, and other representatives, visited senior leaders of the Christian communities in Israel, including the heads of the rabbis, to congratulate them and give them gifts for the holiday.

Jerusalem, 17 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — After approving the gas export deal to Egypt worth 112 billion Shekels ($34 billion), the largest in the history of the State of Israel, Prime Minister Netanyahu and Minister of Energy and Infrastructure Eli Cohen issued a joint statement.

“Today it is clear to everyone that my insistence and that of then-Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz, our insistence on getting the gas out, has proven itself beyond all expectations,” Netanyahu said. “And I assure you; it will be the same with this deal.”

“The approval of the gas agreement is a historic moment for the State of Israel, both in the security and political dimensions, and in the economic dimension,” said Minister Cohen. “The deal solidifies our status as a leading regional energy powerhouse upon which our neighbors rely.”

The two said the State’s revenue from taxes and royalties thanks to the deal will amount to approximately 58 billion Shekels ($17.5 billion), and the volume of direct investments in infrastructure in the economy will exceed 16 billion Shekels and that this will create jobs and strengthen the economy.

Jerusalem, 17 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Technology, Gila Gamliel, inaugurated in a ceremony held in the city of Maghar in the Lower Galilee, MEGASPACE – the largest regional and technological space center in the Galilee.

The innovative center in the Druze city was established as part of a national and strategic investment by the Ministry of Innovation and Science, led by Minister Gamliel, focused on promoting scientific and technological education in the northern periphery.

The Space Center, which covers an area of approximately 500 square meters, is a regional hub for experiential and practical learning that combines formal and informal education. The center focuses on space issues, lunar exploration, physics and astronomy, while referring to the major space programs of Israel and the world, such as “Beresheet” and the global ARTEMIS program.

The center is expected to serve thousands of students and residents from the entire regional area, and strengthen the connection between the education system, the community, and the worlds of science and innovation. It is intended to be an educational and experiential beacon for all students of the Kinneret and Emakim cluster and the city of Maghar, and for many families, a wide audience, and visitors from all over the country.

Jerusalem, 17 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — In light of repeated fires at pirated waste sites in Judea and Samaria, Israel’s Ministry of Environmental Protection reiterates its warning that this is an environmental and health hazard that directly affects Israeli residents and calls for immediate approval of the budget required to implement the National Strategic Plan for Eradicating Waste Hazards and Cross-Border Fires.

After abnormal pollution levels were measured in Shoham and in the settlements along the seam line, the Minister of Environmental Protection today (12/16) made an urgent appeal to Defense Minister Israel Katz and Minister of Finance and Minister of Defense Bezalel Smotrich, demanding that they activate all of their powers to immediately treat the burning sites and prevent re-ignition. The appeal presented current monitoring data indicating severe air pollution and significant exposure of residents to hazards originating from waste fires in the Judea and Samaria territories.

The ministry continues to implement in the field the full range of immediate actions that were approved, amounting to approximately 38.5 million Shekels ($11.8 million), including: strengthening enforcement in the field, increasing air quality monitoring measures, site restoration, and rapid response in cooperation with enforcement agencies and fire departments. Although these actions help reduce the immediate damage, they are not a substitute for the full implementation of the long-term plan.

Jerusalem, 17 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security will tighten the conditions for receiving a recommendation for a building permit for kennels to prevent the establishment of dog breeding houses in agricultural areas.

In recent years, a serious phenomenon of the establishment of commercial facilities that encourage the massive and uncontrolled breeding of dogs, under the definition of “kennels”, has been expanding. This industry, also known as “puppy mills” or “dog factories”, is designed to generate financial profit at the expense of animals and the public.

As part of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security’s activities to protect animal welfare and as an additional step to eradicate the phenomenon, the ministry will tighten the conditions for obtaining a building permit for kennels, in order to prevent kennels for commercial breeding from receiving a permit.

In addition to the existing procedures for obtaining a building permit for agricultural structures, from now on every application for the establishment of a kennel will be required to present additional documents and strict conditions. Among other things, approval from a veterinarian accompanying the kennel will be required, a declaration by the applicant that no commercial breeding will take place there, as well as a comprehensive business plan that includes details about the nature of the activity, a broad industry overview, and financial reports.

The Ministry said that through these requirements, it will “ensure that only kennels that operate for the benefit of animal welfare and essential activities will be approved, and that the possibility of establishing dog factories in agricultural areas will be effectively prevented.”

Jerusalem, 17 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Authority for the Advancement of Women said that, in light of the success of the “Fighting Violence Against Women” program implemented in local authorities, and in light of the ongoing state of emergency over the past two years, the Authority, in professional and financial cooperation with the Ministry of Welfare and Social Security, worked to launch a second cycle of the program.

The program consists of a basket of activities aimed at strengthening social services in the fight against violence against women and strengthening the personal and community resilience of residents of the local authority, and in particular women, by promoting awareness-raising activities, training courses and guidance in the field of preventing violence against women and personal empowerment.

Jerusalem, 17 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority is updating its policy regarding the stay of Ukrainian citizens in Israel and announces that, given the passage of time and the experience gained, no enforcement actions will be taken against the employment of Ukrainian citizens, provided that 90 days have passed since their entry into Israel and that they hold a Ukrainian passport.

It is clarified that the employer is responsible for verifying that the employee indeed holds a Ukrainian passport and that he or she has been staying in Israel for more than 90 days.

In addition, the Minister of the Interior has decided to extend the licenses for a B/2 (tourist) visit to Israel for Ukrainian citizens who were legally in Israel on the day the war began or who entered after it began.

At the end of this period, the policy will be re-examined in accordance with the latest data.

This policy is valid until 31.03.26 or until the end of the war in Ukraine and the possibility of returning to it, whichever comes first.

Jerusalem, 17 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — On Tuesday, December 16, 2025, Nitzanim activities opened throughout Israel during the Hanukkah school vacation for approximately 749,000 students from kindergarten to third grade: 414,000 kindergarten children and 335,000 students in grades 1-3.

The activity was launched as a series and successfully at all activity centers across the country, with early preparation and ongoing response to needs that arose from the field.

During the five full days of activity, children will be able to participate in educational enrichment activities that include creativity, literature, poetry and movement.

In the Arab sector, these frameworks will operate during the winter break from December 24 to January 8.

The Nitzanim Vacation Program is designed to provide a continuous, high-quality, and safe educational framework for Israeli children during school vacations, and to assist parents in combining family life and work.

During the Hanukkah vacation, Ministry of Education teams will continue to closely monitor the program’s implementation and provide professional assistance as needed.

Jerusalem, 17 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Central Bureau of Statistics reported that the Consumer Price Index decreased by 0.5% in November 2025, compared to October 2025, reaching an index level of 103.6 points (base: average 2024=100.0 points).

The Consumer Price Index excluding vegetables and fruits and the Consumer Price Index excluding energy decreased by 0.4%, each, reaching an index level of 103.7 and 103.8 points, respectively. The Consumer Price Index excluding housing decreased by 0.7%, reaching an index level of 103.0 points.

Notable price declines were recorded in the following categories: fresh vegetables and fruits, which fell by 4.1%, culture and entertainment, which fell by 2.5%, transportation and communications, which fell by 1.6%, and furniture and home equipment, which fell by 1.1%.

Notable price increases were recorded in the food category, which rose by 0.4%.

Since the beginning of the year, the CPI and the CPI excluding vegetables and fruits have each increased by 2.6%, the CPI excluding energy has increased by 2.7%, and the CPI excluding housing has increased by 2.3%.

In the last twelve months (November 2025 compared to November 2024), the CPI increased by 2.4%. The CPI excluding vegetables and fruits increased by 2.6%, the CPI excluding energy increased by 2.5%, and the CPI excluding housing increased by 1.9%.