Israel News for 11-24-2021
News Update
Syrian state media reported an Israeli airstrike around the city of Homs today, killing 4 and injuring 7. There was also material damage. The Syrians claim that they intercepted some of the missiles in air. A Syrian opposition war monitor said the strikes hit positions housing Syrian fighters loyal to Lebanon’s Hezbollah terror group.
The defense ministers of Israel and Morocco signed a memorandum of understanding that lays the foundation for security cooperation, intelligence sharing, and future arms sales. Times are definitely changing.
Israel resent its charge d’affaires Tal Ben-Ari Ya’alon to Poland after recalling her when Poland passed a law making it practically impossible for holocaust survivors to receive compensation or restitution for the property they lost as a result of the war. That included property currently owned and managed by the Polish government, which continues to profit from Jewish assets.
The government announced that it will increase the pay of IDF soldiers by 50% next year. The defense and finance ministries’ announcement came following a major public backlash against the military over the stagnation of salaries for low-ranking troops while the pensions of retired career officers get boosted on a regular basis. Israeli soldiers are technically not paid a salary, but receive “subsistence costs” which are much lower than the NIS 5,300 ($1,711) minimum wage. Front-line units, which get paid the most, currently receive NIS 2,032 ($656) per month. Soldiers in administrative units receive a mere NIS 823 ($266) per month. Following the pay increase, expected to go into effect January 2022, front-line units will receive NIS 3,048 ($984) and administrative units NIS 1,235 ($399).
Australia has listed Hezbollah as a terrorist organization, extending its existing ban on the military wing to the political as well.
The shekel is weakening against the US dollar. To read more, click here.
If you’re interested in exploring the links between Jewish Food and Jewish Cultural History, check out my old friend Joel Haber’s blog tasteofjew.com.
