Jerusalem, 8 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — The Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich informed the Minister of Economy Nir Barkat of his opposition to imposing an anti-dumping duty on aluminum imports from China and decision to block the move. The decision, said Smotrich’s office, was made after examining the macroeconomic implications, and with the understanding that the duty would severely damage the construction industry, delay the delivery of thousands of apartments, and increase the cost of living.

Jerusalem, 7 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel will host the first international conference on artificial intelligence in education: a huge summit in Jerusalem with the participation of dozens of delegations from different countries and technology giants

In February 2026, the Ministry of Education in Jerusalem will launch the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, the opening shot for Realistic Israel Month.

The conference will serve as a broad platform for strategic connections, collaborations, and educational policy leadership in the age of artificial intelligence, establishing Israel as a central hub for educational innovation and a leader in the global dialogue on the future of learning.

The conference will bring together approximately 500 senior officials, including 30 delegations from around the world, alongside technology and futurism experts. During the conference, participants will be exposed to the educational and technological ecosystem in Israel and are expected to sign an international memorandum of understanding and the “Jerusalem Declaration.” This declaration is an Israeli initiative that constitutes a groundbreaking document of principles for leading joint educational initiatives among the participating countries.

Jerusalem, 7 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Earlier today, Wednesday, during what was described as an operational activity by IDF (Israel Defense Forces) units in the area of Beita, in Samaria, a terrorist threw Molotov cocktails at the forces.

The fighters responded by firing at the terrorist and a hit was detected.

Jerusalem, 7 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel’s Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure will grant approximately 10 million Shekels ($3.15 million) to 21 groundbreaking studies in the fields of energy and earth and marine science.

These are researchers from 11 academic institutions across the country, including the Technion, Tel Aviv University, the Hebrew University, Bar Ilan University, and more. The agreements with the academic institutions are currently being signed, and the studies are underway for a period of one to three years, with some of them potentially becoming technologies that will affect every home in Israel.

For example, innovative research by Bar Ilan University, supported by the ministry, seeks to break new ground in the field of plastic recycling using an electrochemical method for breaking down PET bottles to produce fuels and highly valuable chemical products.

Jerusalem, 7 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Earlier today (Wednesday), Hamas terrorists fired into the area where IDF (Israel Defense Forces) units are operating in the northern Gaza Strip.

“This firing constitutes a blatant violation of the ceasefire agreement,” said the IDF.

In response, the IDF attacked a senior Hamas Terrorist who was plotting terror against israeli forces in the northern Gaza Strip.

No further details were as yet provided.

Jerusalem, 7 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Investigators from the Narcotics Unit at Ben Gurion Airport Customs, the Ben Gurion Airport Special Investigation Unit 747, and the Crime Prevention Unit at the Airports Authority succeeded in thwarting an attempted smuggling of 26 cartons – 52 packs – of cigarettes by an airport employee.

On Tuesday, customs investigators observed an employee of a company that provides food services to airplanes removing a suspicious bag from a plane. The suspect was followed until he left the restricted area and, while he was putting the suspicious bag into his private vehicle, he was apprehended by police.

Authorities noted that this is a “serious incident” in which a person in a position of trust abuses the authorization given to him by virtue of his position.

Jerusalem, 7 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Earlier today, the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) struck in the Jwaya area in southern Lebanon, eliminating a terrorist from the Air Unit (127) of the Hezbollah terror organization.

The terrorist was engaged in attempts to rehabilitate Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in the area, said the IDF. This is the second terrorist from the Hezbollah Air Unit eliminated in the last two days.

The terrorist’s activity constituted a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon.

Jerusalem, 7 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — At the beginning of this week, the international seminar of the In the Path of Olives initiative, between Greece, Albania, and Israel, opened in the Galilee.

The seminar brings together kindergarten teachers and educators from Greece and Albania, who came to Israel for the purpose of joint professional development in the fields of environmental education, sustainability, and innovative pedagogy in early childhood.

The initiative, which began as a local educational program, has grown into a regional model that strengthens cooperation between the countries of the Mediterranean basin and encourages cross-cultural learning around the olive tree and its environmental and cultural connections.

Israel’s Ministry of Regional Cooperation said it will continue to promote educational initiatives that connect communities, foster regional partnerships, and promote quality and in-depth education for environmental protection.

Jerusalem, 7 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu today, Wednesday, conducted a comprehensive tour of the Western Negev together with Defense Minister Israel Katz, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, and other senior officials. The Prime Minister’s Office said the tour was part of a “multidisciplinary national effort that includes strengthening and developing the region, completing strategic solutions in the region, and combating crime in Arab society.”

At the beginning of the tour, the members arrived at the settlement of Revivim, where they conducted an observation of the bedouin town Bir Bir Hadaj, and received a review on the handling and enforcement of the Israel Police against the phenomena of smuggling and illegal possession of weapons in the south, and were later exposed to the seizures of weapons and the thwarting of significant smuggling operations carried out by police forces in the area and at the borders.

The tour focused on a broad national plan promoted by the Prime Minister’s Office, which includes: strengthening the state’s grip on the territory, promoting plans to expand settlement and increase demographic growth, developing new employment areas, improving civil infrastructure, and meeting the security needs of residents. The plan is based on inter-ministerial staff work to strengthen the borders and build the multidimensional national plan for the Negev.

“The Negev is raging,” said Netanyahu. “We are curbing it, and an important operation by the Israel Police, in conjunction with other forces, has begun. To curb it, we need to understand that the criminal threat and the security threat are merging into one another.”

“Therefore, we will bring a national project to achieve all these goals, but first and foremost – to return governance to the Negev,” he declared.