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.

Jerusalem, 6 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — israeli police uncovered a large-scale cannabis growing operation inside a residential apartment in Petah Tikva during a targeted enforcement operation, authorities said on Tuesday. Detectives discovered approximately 134 kilograms of substances suspected to be cannabis, along with hundreds of seedlings cultivated under laboratory conditions using professional equipment.

The apartment’s owner, a 40-year-old man from Rehovot, was arrested and taken for questioning before being remanded in custody.

Job Description

A candidate is required to fill the position of Manager of Licensing Process Development and Control, for:

• Consolidating all activities in the field of licensing process development, and improving existing licensing processes to create a high-quality and efficient licensing process.
• Assisting in the control and analysis of existing data and/or processes in the field of licensing and building design across all interfaces, identifying existing gaps and presenting them.
• Creating collaborations with various stakeholders (such as committee Engineers, information providers, etc.) both internal and external, for the purpose of developing and improving effective licensing processes.
• Writing position papers, work procedures, guidelines, and manuals for presenting and changing licensing processes.
• Making licensing information accessible to all involved in the process through various media.
• Handling public inquiries regarding licensing procedures.
• Performing additional tasks according to the supervisor’s requirements.

Job Requirements

Education:

Practical Engineer: Architecture or Building, alternatively,
Academic Education (Bachelor’s Degree): in Geography / Architecture / Civil Engineering
or Urban and Regional Planning.
*Details of recognized Master’s degrees in Urban and Regional Planning that meet the
tender’s educational requirements are listed below in the notes.
For practical engineers – registration in the Register of Practical Engineers and Technicians.
For architects and engineers – registration in the Register of Engineers and Architects.

Experience:

For holders of a Master’s degree – 3 years of experience in the field of building licensing / process management in the field of
building licensing and/or project management in the field of building licensing.

For holders of a Bachelor’s degree – 4 years of experience in the field of building licensing / process management in the field of
building licensing and/or project management in the field of building licensing.
** Experience will be counted whether acquired before or after receiving the degree/certificate.

Additional Skills and Qualifications:

• Broad knowledge of the Planning and Building Law, particularly in the areas of licensing systems.
• Experience in promoting and driving complex processes.
• Experience in data analysis.
• Public speaking ability.
• Ability to work under pressure.
• High service awareness.
• Familiarity with work processes in the public sector.

Scope of Position

The position is temporary for a period of three months with the possibility of extension.

Application Details

Resumes should be sent to the email hanitmo@iplan.gov.il to the attention of Hanit Moyal by 20/1/2026.
Only suitable applications will be answered.

Notes

• In accordance with Section 39 of the Law of Certified Practical Engineers and Technicians, 5773-2012, and in coordination between the Civil Service Commission and the representative organization of the Association of Practical Engineers and Technicians, practical engineers and certified technicians registered in the Register of Practical Engineers and Technicians may also apply for positions in the M.H.R. grade for which a general academic education requirement is specified.
  In this case, practical engineers require 4 years of experience and technicians require 5 years of experience in the fields detailed above:
  A holder of a certificate of practical engineer or certified technician who is selected for the position will be ranked in the administrative grade.
  An employee from within the civil service who has already been ranked in the practical engineer or technician grade may retain their professional ranking.
• For practical engineers/technicians – registration in the Register of Practical Engineers and Technicians.

As part of enforcement activity by the customs investigators of Ben Gurion Airport (Natbag) in cooperation with the special unit 747 of the Natbag District Police, within the framework of the uncompromising fight against the drug scourge, customs investigators succeeded in uncovering, as part of intensified enforcement activity on shipments imported via air courier companies, two shipments that were imported from China and were intended for a “client” in the center of the country.

In this context, police detectives arranged a meeting with the orderer of the shipments in the center of the country, and when he arrived to collect the shipment, they arrested the suspect – a resident of Yavne in his 20s.

All findings were transferred for further evidence extraction in the forensic identification laboratories of the israel police, alongside the arrest of the suspect for investigation at the Natbag District offices, and according to its findings, he will be brought this morning for a hearing at the Rishon LeZion Magistrate’s Court.

Jerusalem, 6 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of Construction and Housing has published a tender to receive proposals for providing services for organizing and conducting professional exams abroad, as well as for training local teams, for job candidates in the construction industry and the renovation sub-industry in Israel.

The announcement of the tender is intended to increase the number of foreign workers in the construction sector and to address the shortage of skilled workers, particularly in wet work.

The shortages in workers is due to the continued ban on Palestinians entering Israel out of security concerns since the October 7 massacre.

“The new tender will strengthen the recruitment system for foreign workers in a professional and controlled manner, while maintaining the purity of the selection process, reducing the collection of brokerage fees, and protecting the rights of workers,” said the Ministry.

As part of the tender, the Ministry intends to select up to four winners, up to two for each of two clusters: the construction sector and the renovation sub-sector. The contract period will be set at one year, with the possibility of extension up to five years in total, depending on the ministry’s needs.

Jerusalem, 6 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The IDF (Israel Defense Forces) struck Monday night military infrastructure of the terrorist organizations Hezbollah and Hamas in several areas in lebanon.

As part of the strikes, the IDF hit several weapon storage facilities and military buildings above and below ground that were used by Hezbollah to advance terror plots against IDF forces and the State of israel and to rehabilitate the organization.

In addition, the IDF struck sites for the production of weaponry belonging to the terrorist organization Hamas in southern Lebanon that were used to strengthen the organization and to carry out terror plots against IDF forces and the State of Israel.

The sites that were attacked are located in civilian areas.

“This is another example of the cynical use by the terrorist organizations of Lebanese civilians as human shields for terror activities,” said the IDF.

“The activities of the terrorist organizations at these sites constitute a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon and a threat to the State of Israel,” it added.

Prior to the strikes, many steps were taken to reduce the chance of harm to civilians, including advance warnings to the population in the area.

For example, before the strikes the IDF’s Arabic spokesperson Colonel Avichay Adraee posted a stern warning on social media to Lebanese civilians to evacuate the areas, specifically, Kfar Hatta, located near Sidon and Ain El Tineh locate near Beirut.