Israel News for 3-15-2023
News Update
The IDF, Shin Bet and Border Police arrested 15 terror suspects in overnight raids throughout the West Bank.
Bank of Israel Governor Amir Yaron told CNN that, “Right now, the changes in the judicial reform could weaken some of this independence [of the judicial system]. Moreover, the process itself is hasty and does not have a wide agreement in the public.” Yaron said one of the reasons an orderly and broadly agreed-upon process was important was to stop companies from directing investments away from the Israeli market, something that several major firms have already announced they will do. He also said that he believes that the government will not interfere with decisions and moves made by the Bank of Israel.
Protestors against the judicial reform are planning to block the road to the airport later today to disrupt the departure of the Prime Minister, who is flying to Germany for a 2 day state visit.
Israel’s State Comptroller Matanyahu Englman said in a new report published Tuesday that an estimated 93% of at-risk buildings in northeastern Israel will collapse in the event of a powerful earthquake. The findings indicate that 93% of buildings earmarked for reinforcement in Beit She’an, Tiberias, Safed, Kiryat Shmona, and Hazor HaGalilit, which are communities anticipated to be severely impacted during an earthquake, have not been addressed yet. Also, 38 out of 54, or 70%, of schools that were previously found to not meet standards were also not strengthened yet. According to the report, it would take decades to safeguard all the buildings currently at risk from earthquakes if the current pace is maintained. Costs for reinforcement of at-risk buildings and other protective measures were estimated at around NIS 2.34 billion ($650 million).
Devora Paley, the mother of 2 young boys who were murdered in a Jerusalem terror attack last month, gave birth to a baby boy today. He is the family’s tenth child. Avraham Paley, 42, Devora’s husband, was seriously injured in the attack, and was recently released from Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, after spending two weeks in a coma.
Israel’s national baseball team was eliminated from the World Baseball Classic after losing to Puerto Rico 10-0, without getting a single hit or getting a runner on base. The Israeli team kicked off the tournament with a surprise win over Nicaragua. It then lost to Dominican Republic. For more, click here.
