Israel News for 4-17-2023
News Update
Police shot and wounded a 20 year old Arab resident of east Jerusalem who was vandalizing Jewish owned cars in the Neve Yaakov neighborhood of east Jerusalem and refused to stop and submit to questioning. When police officers arrived on the scene they saw the suspect wearing a coat and holding an object in his hand. At the same time, an explosion occurred from inside one of the cars, which was allegedly set by the suspect. Police asked him to remove his coat to determine that he was not carrying an explosive device. He ignored the police and continued to mumble religious verses including Allahu Akbar. It was then that police shot and wounded him.
Israel is involved in talks with the government of Sudan and the Sudanese rebels to try and broker a peace agreement and end the fighting that broke out recently.
Talks between the government and opposition regarding the judicial reform have resumed in the President’s residence.
Reza Pahlavi, the eldest son of the former Shah of Iran will arrive in Israel today to attend Holocaust Memorial Day events with President Herzog and Prime Minister Netanyahu. He is expected to address the threats from Iran at the national event to be held at Yad Vashem tonight. For more, click here.
The Moody’s credit rating agency downgraded the outlook for Israel’s sovereign credit rating from “Positive” to “Stable”. This could have a significant effect on international investments in Israel. Prime Minister Netanyahu and Finance Minister Smotrich pushed back saying, “The fear raised by the Moody’s analysts concerning the controversy among the public and its effect on Israel’s political and economic stability is natural for anyone who is not familiar with the resilience of Israeli society. As people who believe in the strength of Israeli society, in its unity and its ability to get through disputes and crises, as we have done many times in the past, we are sure that, with God’s help, that will be the case this time too. The State of Israel is a strong democracy and for that very reason the citizens of Israel engage in discourse on matters in dispute in Israeli society, and these are indications of the strength of Israeli democracy.”
Prices of new apartments on the free market in Israel have fallen 5.8% in four months, equivalent to an annual fall of 18%, and a serious warning sign for the entire real estate sector, according to figures published by the Central Bureau of Statistics. Residential rents continue to rise, fueling inflation, which then causes interest rate hikes. For more, click here.
Yom Hashoah, Holocaust Remembrance Day, will begin tonight with a memorial ceremony at Yad Vashem, at which the Prime Minister and President will speak. Memorial events will take place tonight and throughout the day tomorrow. At 10am a siren will call the country to a 2 minute standstill, to reflect on the Holocaust. All places of entertainment will be closed. Let us remember and reflect on the greatest tragedy to befall the Jewish People, and pledge to do everything we can to assure it never happens again.
