Jerusalem, 29 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The following are the end of day exchange rates as set by the Bank of Israel Monday, December 29, 2025:
(Units are given in the foreign currency and the rate is given in its value in Shekels)

Currency | Unit | Rate (NIS) | Daily Change (against the Shekel)
US Dollar | 1 | 3.2030 | +0.534%
GB Pound | 1 | 4.3264 | +0.497%
Japanese Yen | 100 | 2.0494 | +0.284%
Euro | 1 | 3.7684 | +0.295%
AUS Dollar | 1 | 2.1454 | +0.318%
Can Dollar | 1 | 2.3392 | +0.356%
DAN Krone | 1 | 0.5047 | +0.338%
NOR Krone | 1 | 0.3190 | +0.063%
SA Rand | 1 | 0.1926 | +0.574%
SWD Krona | 1 | 0.3490 | +0.316%
SWS Franc | 1 | 4.0530 | +0.081%

Jerusalem, 29 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Finance Minister and the leader of the right-wing Religious Zionism Party in the Knesset, Bezalel Smotrich, declared on Monday that he sees no way that Israel can move forward to the next stage of the Gaza ceasefire plan as long as the body of Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili, who was killed during the October 7 massacre. His body is the last one of an October 78 yet to be returned to Israel from Gaza.

“The State of Israel will not be able to move to the next stage, neither politically nor security-wise, as long as the body of Sgt. Ran Gvili, may God avenge his blood, has not been returned to an Israeli grave, and as long as the terrorist organization Hamas continues to exist, to arm itself, and to dream of our destruction,” said Smotrich.

The Israeli military currently controls 53% of Gaza’s territory. This came as part of the first stage of the ceasefire. The next stage would require a further withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza, should it be implemented.

Jerusalem, 29 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Police said that a “broad operational activity” is taking place with the participation of hundreds of officers from the Southern District and Border Police in Tarabin, a Bedouin Village in the Negev. There is no suspicion of a security incident.

Hundreds of police officers and other security forces are conducting a full encirclement of the village of Tarabin as part of this activity.

The operation comes following what the police called “revenge operations” by alleged criminals in Tarabin at the end of the weekend and following the governance tour conducted by the Minister of National Security Itamar Ben-Gvir and Police Commissioner Danny Levi on Sunday.

Locals protested the presence of Ben-Gvir in the village due to his right-wing policies.

“The activity is being carried out with force and determination, with the aim of strengthening governance, enforcing the rule of law, and providing a clear and decisive response to any attempt at serious criminal activity,” said the police.

“Israel Police is working toward full control of the area and will not allow harm to public security or public order,” it added.

Jerusalem, 29 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Israel Police reported that seven people, including five security guards, in the Givat Zeev area (northwest of Jerusalem) were arrested on suspicion that they exploited their positions and smuggled hundreds of illegal Palestinian residents into Israel.

During an undercover investigation by the Jerusalem Central Unit and the Jerusalem Envelope Border Guard Unit, it was revealed that a planned criminal connection was formed between security guards and Palestinian elements, aimed at enabling “free passage” for illegal residents, bypassing security checkpoints.

Jerusalem, 28 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s National Cyber Command warned of an increase in targeted phishing attempts, which may appear particularly credible, impersonating well-known entities and distributed via messaging apps, including WhatsApp and Telegram.

The attacks are targeted and “tailored” to the interests of senior officials and key figures in various fields, including academia, government, and the media.

In these cases, the attacker does not distribute a random message, but builds an attack based on information gathering and prior planning.

Jerusalem, 28 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure publishes today (Sunday) the annual electricity consumption index in local authority properties in Israel for 2024. As in previous years, this year too, the index is based on data from the authorities’ own consumption reports, and presents both the total electricity consumption in the authorities’ properties in relation to the number of residents in the authority and the total electricity consumption for outdoor lighting in relation to the area of the authority (square kilometers).

In 2024, 213 authorities out of 259 local authorities in Israel reported on their energy consumption – an addition of more than 40 new authorities compared to 2023. Despite the significant increase in the number of those reporting, it can be seen that the indices were maintained at levels similar to previous years.

The data shows that electricity consumption per resident in local authority properties in 2024 increased by 6% compared to 2023, from 150 kWh per resident in 2023, to 159 kWh per resident in 2024. The increase appears to stem, among other things, from the consequences of the war that continued throughout 2024, during which operating hours were extended to serve residents, some authorities operated in emergency situations, and increased use of lighting was made – which likely also led to an increase of approximately 6.8% in outdoor lighting consumption compared to 2023.

The index shows that in 2024 there was an increase in the number of local authorities ranked in the minimum electricity consumption category, from 69 authorities in 2023 to 78 authorities in 2024 – an increase of approximately 13%. In contrast to this increase, the number of authorities in the maximum consumption category hardly changed, despite the expansion of the circle of reporting authorities.

Jerusalem, 28 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — A new study by Israel’s Competition Authority that assesses the market power of electricity producers was published on Sunday. The study indicates concerns about the exercise of market power by electricity producers, even considering the expected production expansions.

The study is expected to assist the Competition Commissioner during consultations in the electricity sector, particularly with regard to sectoral competitive examinations in the electricity sector according to the Concentration Law.

In recent decades, the wholesale market in Israel for electricity production has been opened to competition. Previously controlled by the electricity company, which was the sole producer in the field, private producers have been given the opportunity to obtain production licenses and establish electricity production facilities that will operate alongside the power plants of the electricity company.

The wholesale electricity market mechanism is unique – a central market mechanism within which a tender is held every day for each half hour of the following day. The system administrator publishes in advance a forecast of how much electricity it will be required to supply each half hour of the following day (“demand levels”) and accordingly the power plants offer price quotes for the supply of electricity for each half hour separately.

The new study details two methodologies that focus on examining the incentive and ability of electricity producers to adopt a strategy of reducing the amount of electricity they supply to the economy in order to raise the market price and thereby maximize their profits.

Jerusalem, 28 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Tripartite Work Plan for Military Cooperation between Greece, Cyprus, and Israel, as well as the work plans between the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) and the Greek military and between the IDF and the Cypriot military, for the year 2026 were signed last week in Cyprus.

The Israeli delegation, led by Brigadier General Amit Adler, met in Nicosia with its Greek and Cypriot counterparts, as part of the annual joint meeting of the militaries of Israel, Greece, and Cyprus.

The plans include, among other things, joint exercises and training, working groups in a variety of fields, and strategic military dialogue on issues of common interest.

“The signing of the plans constitutes an additional layer in deepening military cooperation between the countries, and contributes to strengthening stability, security, and peace in the Eastern Mediterranean region,” said the IDF.

Jerusalem, 28 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The concession agreement was signed for the construction, operation and maintenance of a solar energy facility, using photovoltaic technology, combined with battery storage on the site of the of the PLOT A solar thermal power plant in Ashalim, located in the Negev south of Be’er Sheva.

The facility is expected to supply electricity to the national grid with a capacity of 80 megawatts, with the (installed) panel capacity of 150 megawatts and the storage capacity of approximately 400 megawatt hours. The facility will sell electricity to the national grid in accordance with the Electricity Authority’s market regulation for high-voltage integrated storage facilities operating in a competitive market model.