eastern Jerusalem

By Pesach Benson • December 14, 2025

Jerusalem, 14 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israeli and Dutch researchers have unveiled a new technique that allows scientists to precisely measure toxic protein clumps associated with Alzheimer’s disease — something that has long been out of reach and could open new paths for studying and eventually diagnosing dementia.

The technology, known as FibrilPaint combined with the FibrilRuler test, makes it possible to directly measure the length of Tau amyloid fibrils while they are still suspended in fluid, even at extremely low concentrations. Because the buildup and growth of these fibrils are closely linked to Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias, the ability to quantify their size represents a major advance for the field.

The research was led by Prof. Assaf Friedler of the Institute of Chemistry at Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Prof. Stefan G. D. Rüdiger of Utrecht University, and was published in the peer-reviewed Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Alzheimer’s disease and several other neurodegenerative disorders are marked by the abnormal accumulation of Tau proteins in the brain. Tau proteins are normal, essential proteins in the brain that help nerve cells maintain their internal structure and function. But problems arise when Tau changes shape and begins to clump abnormally. Over time, these proteins misfold and assemble into elongated amyloid fibrils, structures believed to track with disease progression. Despite their importance, scientists have struggled to measure fibril length directly in solution under realistic biological conditions.

“The length of Tau fibrils is not just a detail — it is a key parameter of the disease process,” Friedler said. “Until now, it has been extremely difficult to measure fibril size directly in solution, especially at the tiny concentrations found in real biological samples.”

Most existing techniques rely on microscopy or bulk biochemical methods that require large amounts of material, remove fibrils from their natural environment, or provide only indirect estimates of size. These limitations have made it difficult to observe how fibrils grow, fragment, or respond to potential drugs and biological pathways.

At the heart of the new approach is FibrilPaint1, a short, 22–amino acid peptide engineered to act as a highly selective fluorescent probe. Unlike conventional dyes, FibrilPaint1 binds tightly to amyloid fibrils while ignoring individual Tau molecules that have not yet aggregated, allowing researchers to distinguish harmful structures from harmless proteins in complex samples.

“We wanted a probe that behaves like a smart key,” Rüdiger said. “It finds amyloid fibrils, including very early ones, and ignores the rest of the crowded biological environment. FibrilPaint1 does exactly that.”

The probe recognizes a broad range of Tau fibrils, including those derived from patients with Alzheimer’s disease, corticobasal degeneration, and frontotemporal dementia. It also binds fibrils formed by other disease-related amyloid proteins, such as Amyloid-β, α-synuclein, and huntingtin, while showing negligible background binding to blood serum, cell lysate, or non-amyloid aggregates.

To transform this selective probe into a quantitative measuring tool, the researchers combined it with a microfluidics technique known as flow-induced dispersion analysis. In the FibrilRuler test, FibrilPaint1 binds to fibrils in solution, and the sample flows through a microscopic capillary. The way the fluorescent signal spreads during flow reveals the effective size of the fibril–probe complex, allowing researchers to calculate fibril length directly.

“This is essentially a molecular ruler that works inside the fluid itself,” Friedler said. “We no longer need to immobilize fibrils on a surface or rely on large amounts of material. We can quantify fibril length directly in solution.”

Using submicroliter sample volumes, the team measured Tau fibrils ranging from as few as four molecular layers to more than 1,100 layers, even at nanomolar concentrations. The researchers said this level of sensitivity and resolution had not previously been achievable for amyloid fibrils in solution.

The new technique has immediate value for basic research into Alzheimer’s disease and related dementias. By allowing scientists to directly measure the length of Tau fibrils in solution, at very low concentrations and in complex biological mixtures, the method makes it possible to closely track how these toxic protein structures form, grow, and break apart over time. Researchers can now study the earliest stages of fibril development, compare fibrils from different diseases or patient samples, and observe how environmental conditions influence fibril behavior, all under conditions that more closely reflect what happens in the body.

Beyond basic research, the approach could also accelerate drug development and inform future diagnostics.

And in the longer term, “if we can directly measure amyloid fibril size in patient material, such as cerebrospinal fluid, we may gain a new type of biomarker for dementia,” Rüdiger said.

Friedler stressed that clinical use would require further development and validation.

By Pesach Benson • December 11, 2025

Jerusalem, 11 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Storm Byron battered Israel for the second consecutive day on Thursday, bringing heavy rain, flash floods, and icy temperatures that claimed at least one life and caused injuries across the country. Authorities warned that the extreme weather could continue into Friday, with the heaviest downpours expected along the central and southern coastal plains.

From Wednesday afternoon through Thursday morning, the northern regions of Haifa, the Carmel, and Zichron Ya’akov recorded some of the highest rainfall totals. Zichron Ya’akov led the national table with 77 millimeters (3 inches), while Ein Carmel saw 73 millimeters (2.9 inches) and Haifa 60 millimeters (2.4 inches). Mount Hermon and surrounding peaks experienced heavy snowfall, though lower elevations remained snow-free.

The storm pushed south overnight, bringing significant rainfall to central Israel, including Gush Dan and the Tel Aviv metropolitan area. By Thursday, rainfall intensified in the Judean Lowlands and along the central and southern coastline, with local totals reaching up to 200 millimeters (nearly 8 inches) in areas such as the Nahal Ma’arot Nature Reserve and Atlit. Flash flood warnings were issued for streams in the Judean Desert, the Dead Sea, and the northern Arava, while authorities flagged the risk of flooding along the coastal plain.

The storm’s first fatality was in the coastal city of Netanya, where a 53-year-old man was found lifeless in an apartment building with signs of severe hypothermia. ZAKA spokesperson Israel Hasid urged the public to check on vulnerable populations during extreme weather. “Do not ignore the elderly. Pick up the phone and make sure they have the necessary equipment to get through the winter safely. Do not be indifferent.”

The man’s body was taken to the National Institute of Forensic Medicine for further investigation.

Storm Byron also caused injuries and disruptions across the country. Two girls, around 10 years old, were lightly hurt when a tree fell on their schoolyard in Rishon Lezion. In central Israel, multiple vehicles were trapped in rising floodwaters in the Judean Lowlands and coastal towns such as Yavne, with emergency crews working to rescue stranded drivers. Social media footage showed cars submerged above the wheels in the streets of Rehovot.

The Israel Meteorological Service had issued a 24-hour “red warning” for significant precipitation along the central and southern coastline and the Shfela, starting Wednesday at 10 p.m., with rainfall estimates of 100–150 millimeters in affected areas. An “orange warning” was also issued for flooding in the Negev and Judean Desert regions. Overnight temperatures in much of central Israel fell below 10°C (50°F).

Due to the weather, the Israel Defense Forces suspended outdoor training and limited routine security operations to essential activities.

Forecasts indicated that rainfall would gradually weaken midday Friday, with clearer skies and slightly warmer temperatures returning for the weekend, though local showers were still expected in northern and central regions on Saturday.

By Pesach Benson • December 11, 2025

Jerusalem, 11 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Starting in February, students in Israeli elementary schools will no longer be allowed to use cell phones on school grounds, Education Minister Yoav Kisch announced on Thursday.

“We are allowing children to return and truly meet each other, reduce external distractions, and expand the human and natural connection between students, without screens,” Kisch said. “Creating a school space that enables social and emotional growth for our children is our commitment and responsibility.”

Kisch emphasized that the decision is part of a broader systemic effort “to reduce distractions, strengthen social ties, and ensure optimal conditions for learning.”

Phones will only be permitted in designated classes where controlled use is approved for learning purposes. The ministry plans to support schools through educational programs in classrooms and dialogue with parents, aiming to foster balanced phone use, prevent social media misuse, and limit exposure to inappropriate content. The emphasis, Kisch said, is on cultivating social and emotional skills and encouraging face-to-face interaction among students.

“This is a huge and powerful step,” Kisch said. “Several months ago, the ministry held a broad staff meeting on the use of mobile phones among Israeli children. Excessive use of cell phones creates a feeling of loneliness and depression. Some schools are already doing it, by choice. The noise has returned to the schools, and everyone has stopped being on the screen. At the moment, the move will not be in middle schools and high schools.”

Ina Salzman, Senior Deputy Director and Director of the Ministry’s Pedagogical Administration, stressed the link between phone use and academic outcomes.

“The more cell phones are used by students, the lower the students’ achievements,” she said. “Our emphasis for administrators and education teams is to create social activities and social skills. We will also engage parents to reduce screen time at home. Sixty percent of teenagers are addicted to social networks, and the earlier they start, the harder it is to break the habit.” She noted that many children receive smartphones as early as first grade.

Unlike previous guidelines, which gave principals wide discretion, the new policy applies to all areas of the school, including breaks.

“Today it will be mandatory. There will be positive noise: there will be no use of smartphones in school,” Kisch said. “Parents understand the importance of the move. The policy is no use, but not a ban on bringing cell phones.”

According to ministry Director General Meir Shimoni, the ban’s delay until February is to give people an adjustment period. “We know that it will not happen all at once, it will be a process. But cell phones will be outside of schools,” he said.

By TPS-IL • December 10, 2025

Jerusalem, 10 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — New archaeological finds in the hills south of Jerusalem may offer the first material evidence from one of Judah Maccabee’s battles, The Press Service of Israel has learned, as the Chanukah holiday approaches.

The eight-day holiday of Chanukah, which begins on Sunday night, marks the successful Hasmonean revolt against the Seleucid King Antiochus IV and the subsequent rededication of the Second Temple some 2,100 years ago.

In an exclusive interview with TPS-IL, Dr. Dvir Raviv of Bar-Ilan University said that a survey at Horbat Bet Zecharia, in the Gush Etzion region south of Jerusalem, has uncovered objects that match both the date and the military profile of the famous battle described in the Book of Maccabees in 163 BCE.

The site, on a hill about seven kilometers southwest of Bethlehem, is widely identified with the ancient village of Bet Zecharia, where the Seleucid army and the forces of Judah Maccabee clashed in what is known as the fifth Maccabean battle.

On Dec. 10, 2025, Dr. Dvir Raviv of Bar-Ilan University holds a sling bullet found at Horbat Bet Bet Zecharia south of Jerusalem, where the Maccabees fought the Greek Seleucid army. Photo by Elad Zagman/TPS-IL

According to First Maccabees and later Jewish historian Josephus, the Seleucid army advanced north along the Jerusalem-Hebron road with war elephants. In the most dramatic scene, Judah’s brother Eleazar ran under the largest elephant, killed it, and was crushed to death beneath its body. The battle ended in a Seleucid victory and a siege of the Temple in Jerusalem.

Raviv’s 2022 survey at the site documented ninety-two coins and hundreds of pottery sherds from the Persian, Hellenistic, and Hasmonean periods. However, what drew his attention were four objects pointing directly to a Hellenistic battlefield — three cast lead sling bullets and a bronze coin minted in the city of Side in Asia Minor, today southern Turkey.

“This is the first time we may be holding objects that came from one of Judah Maccabee’s battlefields,” Raviv told TPS-IL. “At Bet Zecharia, we found a Side coin that is usually linked with Seleucid mercenaries, and three lead sling bullets that only appear in military contexts. Together, they fit very well with the description of the battle in First Maccabees.”

The sling bullets, discovered on the western slope of the hill, are typical Hellenistic ammunition. One carries the winged thunderbolt of Zeus, a common symbol on such projectiles. Across Israel, similar bullets have been found at only about twenty sites, almost all known from historical sources as siege works, forts, or battlefields, including Jerusalem, Dor, Samaria, Maresha, Yodfat, and Mount Gerizim.

“You do not expect to find Seleucid military equipment in a small rural village unless an army actually fought there,” Raviv explained. He noted that the bullets were found in a cluster on the slope facing the ancient Jerusalem-Hebron road, exactly where the Seleucid army is said to have advanced. “The finds sit where the sources place the battle, along the old road below the village. They give us, for the first time, an archaeological echo of the confrontation described in the texts.”

A bronze coin from the Asia Minor city of Side found at Horbat Bet Zekharya south of Jerusalem, where the Maccabees fought the Greek Seleucid army. Foreign mercenaries fighting with the Greeks were paid with such coins. Photo by Shahar Cohen/TPS-IL

The bronze coin from Side strengthens the case.

One side shows the Greek goddess Athena wearing a Corinthian helmet. The other features a pomegranate, which was the symbol of Side. Side served as a recruitment center for mercenaries who fought in Seleucid armies. Although around 120 such coins have been found around Israel, this is the first time that a Side coin has emerged from a location explicitly connected to a documented Hasmonean battlefield, Raviv explained.

“Its presence, alongside the sling bullets, reflects military activity that fits the historical description of the battle,” he told TPS-IL.

Most critical scholars already accept that a battle took place in the Bet Zecharia area, even if they debate the literary shaping of the story. Raviv stressed that the new finds do not settle questions about exact location, numbers, or tactics. Their importance, he says, lies in offering the first independent support for the historicity of the battle itself.

For Raviv, the implications go beyond technical analysis. “It is the first time we have possible archaeological evidence from one of Judah Maccabee’s battlefields,” he said. “This is where history, text and ground finally begin to meet.”

By Pesach Benson • December 9, 2025

Jerusalem, 9 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Learning doesn’t have to slow down with age. In fact, new Israeli-U.S. research shows that older adults can thrive when taught the way young people are—through active participation, meaningful discussion, and material that connects to their lives. The findings suggest that seniors can boost memory, maintain emotional well-being, and even gain a renewed sense of purpose by engaging in education that respects their life experience.

The study, published in the peer-reviewed Educational Gerontology, was conducted by Prof. Anat Zohar of the Seymour Fox School of Education at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem and Dr. Yochai Z. Shavit of the Stanford Center on Longevity. It challenges the long-held assumption that aging inevitably limits learning, showing instead that the right teaching methods can help older adults thrive.

“We’re teaching older adults the wrong way,” said Zohar. “The dominant model is still the lecture, but it is built on assumptions that simply don’t hold for older learners. First, it relies heavily on memorization, even though memory is the very ability that tends to decline with age. Second, it doesn’t connect new ideas to the rich knowledge and life experience older adults already have—one of their greatest learning resources. And third, lectures rarely create the meaningful, relevant learning and relationships that drive motivation in later life. Despite the large industry built around them, lectures just don’t work pedagogically. Older adults enjoy attending them, but they don’t retain enough. High-quality, active learning can support cognitive abilities, promote health, and even contribute to longer lives.”

The research emphasizes that older adults learn best when education taps into their motivations, connects new knowledge to previous experience, and allows for active engagement. These principles mirror the methods that help children and young adults learn deeply, suggesting that age does not require a fundamentally different approach—just one that respects and builds on life experience.

The study builds on earlier research by the same team, which examined nineteen highly educated women in the “third age.” That research found that many participants felt they were learning better than at any earlier stage of life. They reported deeper understanding because they could connect new knowledge to decades of accumulated experience, challenging stereotypes about cognitive decline.

Shavit highlighted the psychological benefits of later-life learning. “Older adulthood is a time of real psychological depth,” he said. “When education taps into older adults’ motivations, like the search for meaning, connection, and self-understanding, it becomes not just effective, but deeply rewarding.”

Despite growing evidence supporting active, meaningful learning, many programs for older adults still rely on lecture-based formats. In the United States alone, the broader continuing education sector—which includes adult courses, vocational programs, and professional training—was valued at USD 66.9 billion in 2024 and is projected to reach about USD 96 billion by 2030. Yet a substantial portion of this spending continues to flow into formats that do not align with older adults’ learning needs.

The study suggests that universities, community colleges, and online learning platforms can apply these findings by redesigning courses to incorporate group discussions, hands-on projects, problem-solving exercises, and real-world case studies.

Employers and health programs can also benefit from these insights. Workplace training for older employees can shift from passive instruction to interactive workshops, mentorship, and collaborative problem-solving, boosting skill acquisition and motivation. Similarly, cognitive health initiatives—such as language classes, skill-building workshops, or lifelong learning programs—can help maintain mental sharpness, support emotional well-being, and even contribute to longer, more engaged lives, turning education into both a professional and personal resource for older adults.

“Older adults are not a separate category requiring entirely different rules,” Zohar said. “They are part of the continuous story of human learning, and education should treat them that way.”

By TPS-IL • December 8, 2025

Jerusalem, 8 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Jerusalem’s Tower of David complex has yielded one of the most impressive archaeological discoveries of recent years: an exceptionally well-preserved section of the city wall built during the Hasmonean period in the late second century BCE, the Israel Antiquities Authority announced on Monday. The excavation director told The Press Service of Israel that the newly exposed fortification is among the longest and most intact stretches of ancient defensive architecture ever unearthed in the city, offering rare insight into Jerusalem at the height of Hasmonean rule.

The discovery was made during excavations led by the Israel Antiquities Authority (IAA), when workers clearing the area uncovered a monumental fortification measuring more than forty meters in length and roughly five meters in width, preserved far better than expected for a structure dating to the Second Temple era.

Dr. Amit Re’em, the excavation director, told TPS-IL the newly revealed wall corresponds with what ancient writers, including the first century historian Josephus, described as the First Wall that encircled Jerusalem before its expansion under later rulers. Josephus recorded that the Hasmonean fortifications were formidable, punctuated by dozens of towers and engineered to withstand siege.

“It’s one of the most significant segments of the Hasmonean wall ever found in archaeological excavations in Jerusalem,” Re’em said. “It’s one of the only times we’ve found the full width of this wall. The interesting thing is that it has been demolished in a systematic and surgical manner– not due to gradual decay or a battle, ” he added.

The exposed stones bear the hallmark of the period’s royal construction, with massive blocks dressed in the characteristic chiseled style associated with Hasmonean architecture. Although only the lower portion survives, archaeologists estimate the wall originally stood more than ten meters high. Finds from earlier digs in the area support this interpretation: in the 1980s, excavators uncovered a cache of hundreds of catapult stones, sling bullets and arrowheads at the foot of the wall, physical evidence of the Seleucid siege led by Antiochus VII Sidetes in 134 to 132 BCE.

That siege is a pivotal episode in Jewish history and provides one possible explanation to the wall’s systematic destruction pattern, Re’em said. Ancient accounts describe Antiochus surrounding Jerusalem and bombarding its defenses. According to Josephus, the Hasmonean leader John Hyrcanus I eventually negotiated a truce, which required dismantling parts of the city’s fortifications as a condition for lifting the siege. Re’em told TPS-IL the newly exposed wall segment may be a remnant of that political moment, intentionally brought down rather than left to decay over time.

Another possible explanation, Re’em added, is tied to Herod the Great, who came to power in 37 BCE. Re’em suggests that Herod, eager to mark a dramatic break from the Hasmonean dynasty he replaced, systematically removed their monumental works to reshape Jerusalem in his own image. The deliberate nature of the destruction seen in the current excavation, which is located exactly under the accepted location of Herod’s palace, fits this pattern.

“This is a possible political explanation. Herod wanted to send a message, and systematically demolishing his predecessors’ work is how you send a message in the ancient world,” Re’em told TPS.

The discovery will become a central feature of the Tower of David Museum’s new archaeological wing. Museum officials say visitors will soon be able to stand on a transparent floor above the ancient stones and view them alongside installations by contemporary artists.

Jerusalem’s Tower of David — also known as the Jerusalem Citadel — is one of the city’s most iconic landmarks. Despite its name, it has no connection to King David; the title was mistakenly applied in the Byzantine period and stuck.

By Pesach Benson • December 8, 2025

Jerusalem, 8 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israeli police raided the Jerusalem headquarters of the United Nations Relief and Works Agency on Monday, raising an Israeli flag over the compound.

Jerusalem Deputy Mayor Arieh King confirmed to The Press Service of Israel that the raid was carried out because of several years of unpaid property taxes and to collect intelligence on who was operating the compound. An Israeli ban on UNRWA has been in force since January 2025.

“The police entered the compound for the first time to collect information about who is de facto controlling the place,” King told TPS-IL. “But for the past year, there has been activity. If it’s against the law, the law needs to be enforced.”

King added that the people holding the compound were not paying municipal property taxes. According to King, UNRWA owes the city millions of shekels in unpaid taxes. “So the municipality asked the police to find out who the city should collect the money from. UNRWA is not allowed to operate there, so who is running the place?”

King said raising the flag was an important symbol because the compound is located in a Jewish neighborhood and it sends a message to UNRWA.

“People need to remember that UNRWA was involved in the terror attack and massacres of October 7. UNRWA cars were used by Hamas, and UNRWA compounds, schools, clinics, and kindergartens in the Gaza Strip were used by Hamas to hide Israeli hostages and to bury Israeli bodies in the compounds. There’s no difference between UNRWA in Gaza and UNRWA in Jerusalem,” he told TPS-IL.

UNRWA has been under fire for years, with Israeli officials demanding the agency be stripped of its authority in Gaza and defunded amid revelations that members of the agency’s staff participated in Hamas’s October 7 attacks. Despite Israeli, U.S., and some European opposition, the U.N. General Assembly on Friday voted to extend UNRWA’s mandate for three more years.

Palestinian refugees are the only refugee population with its own dedicated UN agency. The rest of the world’s refugees fall under the mandate of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees.

Around 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The body of Israeli Police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili is the last remaining in Gaza.

By Pesach Benson • December 8, 2025

Jerusalem, 8 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel and Costa Rica signed a Free Trade Area (FTA) agreement on Monday, marking a significant milestone in economic cooperation between the two countries. The agreement, signed at the Ministry of Economy and Industry in Jerusalem, is expected to strengthen Israeli exports, expand bilateral trade, and contribute to lowering the cost of living in Israel.

“Costa Rica is a natural trade partner for Israel – an OECD country with a deep commitment to free and open trade,” said Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat. “The Free Trade Agreement is expected to strengthen the trend of growth in israeli exports, deepen business collaborations, and help reduce the cost of living in Israel by lowering import prices. The agreement reflects the policy we are leading: opening new markets, diversifying trade destinations, and strengthening the growth engines of the Israeli economy.”

The deal will immediately eliminate over 90% of tariffs, opening the Costa Rican market to Israeli industrial and agricultural products. At the same time, Israel will reduce import costs on a wide range of products from Costa Rica, including tropical fruits, nuts, vegetables, and medical equipment. Officials said these reductions are likely to benefit both producers and consumers in Israel.

Minister of Foreign Trade of Costa Rica Manuel Tovar Rivera also emphasized the potential benefits of the agreement. “This agreement opens significant new avenues for both Costa Rica and Israel. It enhances access to high-quality Costa Rican goods and services while creating a mutually beneficial platform for collaboration in high-technology industries, premium agribusiness, and specialized services. We see this partnership as a catalyst for two-way investment, innovation, and expanded commercial opportunities that will strengthen the economic ties between our nations,” he said.

Under the agreement, Israeli exports to Costa Rica will benefit from zero tariffs on products including fertilizers, agricultural chemicals, plastic sheets, machinery, laboratory equipment, aluminum profiles, printing ink, olive oil, dates, grapefruit, citrus fruits, waffle cookies, and roasted grains. Conversely, Costa Rican exports to Israel, such as asparagus, nuts, mushrooms, cabbage, celery, dried pineapple, tropical fruits, coffee, cocoa, cane sugar, and medical and orthopedic equipment, will see tariffs eliminated or maintained under preferential conditions. Fresh pineapple, Costa Rica’s leading export to Israel, will continue to enjoy a general exemption from customs duties.

The FTA also includes modern trade provisions, such as using a Declaration of Origin instead of a Certificate of Origin, recognition of software as part of production, flexible cumulation rules, and measures adapted to global supply chains. It regulates trade in services for the first time between the two countries, allowing remote service provision, promoting secure digital trade, recognizing electronic signatures, and ensuring equal rights for Israeli suppliers.

Currently, annual Israeli exports to Costa Rica average around $32 million, but officials expect the new agreement to significantly expand trade across multiple sectors. Costa Rica already maintains trade agreements with 18 major trading partners, including the European Union, the United States, China, and South Korea, giving Israel a competitive position in line with these markets. Following the signing, a formal ratification process will begin before the agreement comes into force.

“The signing of the agreement is a significant achievement for Israeli industry. Upon its entry into force, Israeli exporters will enjoy preferential access to a market where customs rates are high – an advantage that strengthens their competitiveness. Israel and Costa Rica complement each other in the fields of agriculture, manufacturing, and technology – a combination that creates real opportunities for expanding trade and deepening cooperation,” said Roy Fisher, Director of the Ministry of Economy and Industry’s Foreign Trade Division.

By Pesach Benson and Omer Novoselsky • December 8, 2025

Jerusalem, 8 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — For more than two decades, plastic waste carried from urban areas has quietly accumulated along the Dead Sea’s shrinking coastline, forming a striking visual and environmental record at the lowest point on Earth. A new study released Monday by the University of Haifa, in collaboration with Italian scientists, shows that flash floods, extreme salinity, and retreating water levels have combined to create a natural archive where plastic debris — including bags, toys, bottles, and even military equipment — remains trapped year after year, preserving a record of human activity in one of the world’s most extreme environments.

Dr. Akos Kalman, Prof. Beverly Goodman Tchernov, and Prof. Michael Lazar told The Press Service of Israel, “The Dead Sea is not only a geoheritage site under threat, but it also functions as an accelerated natural laboratory for the rest of the world. Because it is a closed basin, everything that enters stays, which lets us follow the entire pathway of plastic pollution: from large pieces to fragments and finally to microplastics that become part of the geological record. What we see happening here now is likely to occur in many other water bodies in the future.”

The Dead Sea, the world’s deepest hypersaline lake, has been losing water rapidly over recent decades. During winter, the Kidron Stream, which drains extensive urban areas in Jerusalem, carries sediments, debris, and plastics into the lake in short but powerful flash floods. Because of the water’s high salinity and density, most plastic materials float and collect along the shoreline, creating a series of coastal terraces that document the type and quantity of waste reaching the basin each year. Researchers have referred to these formations as “plastic rings,” highlighting both their striking visual impact and growing scientific value.

The study — published in the peer-reviewed Journal of Hazardous Materials — systematically examined terraces formed between 2000 and 2021 at the junction of the Kidron Stream and the Dead Sea. The team collected all visible plastic items on each terrace and recorded their weights, types, abrasion levels, and spatial distribution. Sediment samples were analyzed for microplastics, which were separated, filtered, photographed under a microscope, and chemically examined to determine polymer types and the effects of prolonged exposure to sun, heat, and erosion. Historical aerial photographs and satellite images were also reviewed to track changes in coastal geomorphology and the stream’s flow over time.

The analysis revealed a sharp increase in plastic input after 2000, with younger terraces containing hundreds of kilograms of waste. Projections indicate that by 2030, a single terrace could accumulate more than a ton of plastic. Exposure to intense sunlight and heat accelerates fragmentation, producing thousands of microplastic particles per kilogram of sediment each year. Researchers estimate that one kilogram of large visible plastic can generate roughly four thousand microplastic particles annually, many of which remain in the sediment and gradually integrate into the geological record.

Some waste becomes trapped in sinkholes and cracks forming along the retreating coastline, embedding plastic in sediment layers and potentially creating a permanent archive of human activity. “When we arrived at the site, we saw not only a dramatic retreat of the coastline but also enormous amounts of plastic floating on the water’s surface. It was a jarring moment that made it clear how deep and severe the phenomenon is,” the scientists said.

“Distinct plastic rings started forming around the Kidron outlet only about 25 years ago, after being completely absent before, and their growth since then is clear and steady. The amount of macroplastic entering the basin is so large that it provides the raw material for microplastic breakdown at a scale not documented elsewhere. What also surprised us is the sheer volume now accumulating and the fact that, despite growing public awareness, the problem continues to intensify rather than improve,” they told TPS-IL.

“Plastic pollution in the Dead Sea had not been fully recognized until now, and bringing attention to it is an essential first step. The most effective approach is prevention. This means identifying the exact sources and channels through which plastics enter the basin, increasing monitoring, and strengthening municipal waste collection, recycling, and public education. Regular surveys upstream can quickly reveal where the main leaks occur, and consistent enforcement of existing waste disposal laws would significantly reduce the flow of plastic before it reaches the Dead Sea,” they said.

Inaction, they stressed, is not an option. “Without responsible management and guardianship, it will be lost. If nothing is done, plastic will continue to build up across the channels that feed the basin, just as we have already seen at the Kidron and other outlets. It will keep breaking into microplastics and spreading along the shoreline and coastal zone. In the worst case, the Dead Sea could become a polluted and hazardous environment that is difficult to access and may even affect products derived from it,” the scientists warned TPS-IL.

The Dead Sea, one of the saltiest bodies of water in the world, is a popular tourist destination. The water is about 9.6 times saltier than the ocean, creating its famous buoyancy, which allows people to float easily. The Dead Sea lies about 430 meters below sea level, making it the lowest point on Earth.

By Pesach Benson • December 8, 2025

Jerusalem, 8 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Defense Ministry said Monday that the number of wounded troops and security personnel requiring long-term care has climbed to 82,400, with a rapidly growing share suffering from psychological trauma. The ministry’s Rehabilitation Division reported that 31,000 of those under its care are coping with mental or post-traumatic injuries, warning that the caseload is expected to reach 100,000 within four years.

The figures were released ahead of the Day of Appreciation for the Wounded Men and Women of the IDF and Security Forces. Ceremonies on Monday night and Tuesday will honor injured personnel.

Attorney Idan Kliman, chairman of the IDF Disabled Organization, said the figures demand urgent national attention. “These numbers are not just numbers — but people, heroes, and entire families,” he said. “We must not leave any wounded behind, not even those whose injuries are not visible.”

According to the new figures, roughly 22,000 wounded were added to the system after the October 7 attacks and ensuing war, and 58% of that group is dealing with mental injury. The ministry said it now receives about 1,500 new applications each month from wounded seeking official recognition. In cooperation with the Finance Ministry, a public committee led by Prof. Mor Yosef has been established “to examine the expansion of the national response, support and treatment of the IDF wounded.”

The Rehabilitation Division’s budget has risen 53%, reaching NIS 8.3 billion (about $2.57 billion), with half of that dedicated to mental-health care. Over the past year, the number of psychological treatments provided doubled, the use of alternative therapies increased by 50%, and calls to the ministry’s “One Soul” emotional-support line surged by 80% to more than 20,500.

The ministry also published demographic data on those receiving rehabilitation: 9% are women; 26% were injured in the past two years; 49% were wounded during compulsory IDF service; 26% are reservists; 13% are career soldiers; and 9% are police officers. Some 68% of patients are over 40 years old, while 873 are confined to wheelchairs, including 132 injured since October 7. The division is also treating 1,061 amputees and 115 people coping with blindness. The oldest disabled veteran is a 98-year-old who fought in the pre-state Haganah. Modi’in-Maccabim-Re’ut was identified as the city with the highest number of wounded relative to its population.

Officials highlighted a range of expanded services, including the Matan Team, a mobile intervention unit that sends therapists to the homes of wounded soldiers during acute psychological distress. The team responded to 249 emergency calls over the past year, helping prevent hospitalization. Nature-based rehabilitation programs now serve more than twice as many wounded as last year, and over 30,000 individuals receive emotional therapy. Another 11,500 family members receive counseling and support.

To improve long-term prospects for wounded veterans, the ministry has launched employment initiatives, including a cyber-training program in which “100% of participants were absorbed into the workforce,” and a high-tech integration track known as “We Win With You.” The Customer Relations Division has also expanded, assigning personal contact officers to wounded individuals and coordinating with the IDF Casualties Division to support roughly 4,000 people through home visits and guidance.

Meanwhile, a specialized unit was created to assist the 30 Israelis who returned from captivity and their families.

Around 1,200 people were killed, and 252 Israelis and foreigners were taken captive by Hamas during the October 7, 2023, attack on southern Israel. The body of israeli police Master Sgt. Ran Gvili is the last remaining in Gaza.