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.

Jerusalem, 23 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — A new pilot by the Ministry, which will be launched in 2026, will allow applications to be submitted for a recommendation to employ foreign workers by providers of essential services to agricultural farms for processing agricultural land, treatment services for farm animals, and sorting and packaging services for fresh agricultural produce.

The ministry expects that the move will provide a solution to the shortage of manpower in these sectors, with the aim of ensuring the continuity of agricultural production and food security in Israel.

Jerusalem, 23 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The government approved Monday what it called another step to reduce the cost of living in Israel – the amendment to the Law on Licensing Services and Professions in the Automotive Industry.

The amendment, which was formulated by the Ministry of Transportation, in cooperation with the Taxation Division and approved by the Ministerial Committee for Legislative Affairs, is being promoted through an accelerated process and is intended to increase competition in vehicle imports, open it to additional players, and lead to lower vehicle prices.

It removes a major competitive barrier that has so far prevented indirect, small, and personal importers from enjoying customs preferences in accordance with the State of Israel’s international trade agreements.

Until now, only direct importers could exercise a 7% customs duty exemption, a situation that reduced competition and raised prices for the public.

The new law will allow the Tax Authority to apply the benefit also to importers who are not direct, thus helping to expand parallel and personal imports, increase competition, and reduce consumer prices.

Jerusalem, 23 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The following are the end of day exchange rates as set by the Bank of Israel Tuesday, December 23, 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 | 3.1910 | ‎-0.468%
GB Pound | 1 | 4.3118 | +0.144%
Japanese Yen | 100 | 2.0466 | ‎-0.471%
Euro | 1 | 3.7664 | +0.072%
AUS Dollar | 1 | 2.1366 | +0.296%
Can Dollar | 1 | 2.3292 | +0.034%
DAN Krone | 1 | 0.5042 | +0.06%
NOR Krone | 1 | 0.3174 | +0.221%
SA Rand | 1 | 0.1911 | ‎-0.417%
SWD Krona | 1 | 0.3479 | +0.317%
SWS Franc | 1 | 4.0540 | +0.352%