Jerusalem, 22 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of the Interior and its Ministry of Innovation, Science and Technology have joined forces for a first-of-its-kind initiative: a call for applied research in the core areas of local authorities, regional clusters and municipal corporations. The ministries said this is part of a strategic move to promote “quality local government.”

“This initiative constitutes a vital bridge between the academic world and the complex challenges facing local government, and aims to leverage advanced research knowledge into practical solutions that will improve the services provided to residents and establish data-based decision-making,” said the ministries.

The call is built around three main goals:

Promoting applied research in critical areas of local government in Israel.

Encouraging fruitful and ongoing cooperation between academic researchers and local government bodies and government ministries.

Making decision-support tools, models for development and improvement available in various public bodies, in a manner that leads to effective policies and results, and optimal public services for residents.

Out of dozens of proposals submitted, ten outstanding studies with high applied potential to bring about tangible change were selected. The ten studies selected from the many proposals submitted represent a wide range of innovative solutions that will directly impact the quality of life of residents throughout Israel.

Jerusalem, 22 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — TASE Top 10 Indices Monday, december 22, 2025

Index | Value | +/- Change in Value
TA-35 | 3,708.78 | +0.73%
TA-90 | 3,803.08 | -0.18%
TACombo – 90&Banks-5 | 3,999.09 | +0.39%
TA125 | 3,723.24 | +0.51%
Money Market | 464.91 | +0.01%
TA125-Value | 4,139.61 | +0.46%
TA Sector-Balance | 4,319.83 | +0.17%
All-Bond | 419.26 | -0.03%
Bond-CPI A | 419.95 | +0.03%
Tel-Bond 60 | 413.79 | -0.02%

Equity Turnover
(NIS Thousands) | | 3,369,834
Bonds Turnover
(NIS Thousands) | | 5,401,310

(NIS Thousands)

(NIS Thousands)

Jerusalem, 22 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) on Monday attacked two Hezbollah terrorists in the Yatar region in southern lebanon.

As part of the attacks, the IDF killed a terrorist who was attempting to rebuild Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in the region, and his actions constituted a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.

Last week, forces from the IDF’s 91st Division – the Galilee Formation – eliminated four terrorists in southern Lebanon.

The IDF pledged it “will continue to act to eliminate any threat to the State of Israel.”

Jerusalem, 22 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) Monday afternoon attacked a number of Hezbollah terrorists in the Sidon region of southern lebanon.

The IDF did provide any further details.

Jerusalem, 22 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) said that on Monday afternoon a number of Israeli citizens who breached the border in the Golan Heights area into Syrian territory.

IDF forces rushed to the spot, located the citizens and returned them safely to the territory of the State of Israel.

The IDF said the suspects who were captured will be transferred to the Israel Police for further processing.

“The IDF strongly condemns the incident and emphasizes that this is a serious incident that constitutes a criminal offense that endangers civilians and IDF forces,” it said.

According to the Israel Police there were seven people who crossed the border.

Jerusalem, 22 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Israeli government on Monday approved a NIS 1 billion ($310 million) plan to develop agriculture, water infrastructure, and environmental protection in communities near the northern border for 2026–2029. The multi-year initiative, led by the Northern Development Directorate in coordination with the Ministries of Agriculture, Finance, Environmental Protection, and the Water Authority, aims to strengthen food security and regional growth.

The plan includes NIS 418 million ($130 million) for agricultural investment, NIS 435 million ($135 million) for water and sewage infrastructure, and NIS 154 million ($48 million) for environmental restoration.

Agriculture Minister Avi Dichter called it a “dramatic change for Israeli agriculture,” while Minister Ze’ev Elkin highlighted its role in promoting demographic and economic growth in the North.

Jerusalem, 21 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Population and Immigration Authority reported today that in the past 24 hours, 16 Georgian passengers who were expected to fly from Sochi to Israel were prevented from boarding a flight. Four other Georgian travelers were refused entry into the country.

The background to preventing their arrival is an alert from the Population and Immigration Authority’s border control center, which processed the passengers’ data, which raised serious concerns that they were coming for the purpose of settling down and not tourism.

In light of the aforementioned information, Border Control informed the airline that the passengers should not be allowed to board the flight.

A few hours later, border controllers at Ben Gurion Airport located four Georgian passengers who had landed at Ben Gurion Airport with the aim of infiltrating. In this case too, it was the work of the border controllers, in cooperation with the hotline employees, that made it possible to locate them and deny them entry.

Jerusalem, 21 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel hit an all-time travel record with 361,255 passengers on 675 passenger trains that were operated on its railways last Thursday.

The previous record was also recorded in 2025 with 357,773 passengers on March 16, 2025.

“This figure continues the upward trend in passenger numbers recorded in the past year, and is the result of the introduction of new cars into operation, additional trains, and the operation of modern, high-capacity electric trains that carry up to 2,000 passengers,” said the Ministry of Transportation. “These, along with other projects to expand the track infrastructure and lengthen trains, are significantly and continuously improving the supply of seating.”

Israel Railways notes that demand in 2025 was the highest ever and that the five operating days with the highest passenger numbers were all recorded in 2025, with three of the five recorded during the current Hanukkah holiday.

In October 2025, an all-time record was recorded in the average daily travel with 298 thousand passengers, the highest daily travel figure recorded during this period.

Jerusalem, 21 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met today, Sunday, in his office in Jerusalem with US Senator Lindsey Graham (Republican, South Carolina).

Prime Minister Netanyahu, at the beginning of the meeting, called Graham a, “great friend of Israel and a dear personal friend. We have no better friends than him. Welcome.”

“I came here with a goal – we had a lot of achievements in 2025,” said Graham. “I want to make sure that 2026 will be a year of peace and of beating the bad guy.”

“My impression is that Hamas is not disarming, it is rearming,” he added. “My impression is that they are trying to establish their control over Gaza, not give it up. And my impression is also that Hezbollah is trying to produce more weapons. This is an unacceptable result.”

Prime Minister Netanyahu responded:

“You’re right about both things. You’re usually right. I could also say always, but you have to leave a certain margin.”