Subscribe to Print Edition | Thu., July 02, 2009 Tamuz 10, 5769 | | Israel Time: 02:42 (EST+7)
Haaretz israel news English
web haaretz.com
Haaretz Toolbar
Diplomacy
Defense Jewish World Opinion National
Print Edition
Car Rental
Books Haaretz Magazine Business Real Estate Focus U.S.A. Travel Week's End Anglo File
Share |
Market in Brief

Bread, salt and yeast prices will go up today as a result of the increased VAT rate, the Industry, Trade and Labor Ministry announced yesterday. With VAT rates increasing from 15.5% to 16.5%, the ministry's supervisor of prices Zvia Dori has approved a hike in the maximum retail price for the three products. Price controlled bread and white hallah will go up from NIS 4.49 to NIS 4.63, and sliced bread will be NIS 6.94 instead of NIS 6.88. Hallah will now cost NIS 5.05 instead of NIS 5.00. Regular table salt will now cost up to NIS 1.78 instead of NIS 1.75. (Ora Coren)

The Knesset Finance Committee retroactively approved taxes on cigarettes yesterday. The new taxes have already been in effect for two months, while the committee's approval remained pending. Although the structure of the new tax was amended by the committee, the total remains the same, as do retail prices. The flat tax on cigarettes (per pack) was raised from NIS 0.99 to NIS 1.17, and the tax rate (based on the price of the pack of cigarettes) was increased from 62% to 63.5%. The final approval constitutes a victory for the cigarette maker Dubek, which had lobbied Knesset members for a watered-down version of the law, arguing in defense of Dubek for jobs which the firm said should be protected. (Zvi Zrahiya)
Advertisement

For the first time since Israel Railways was founded, construction of a new section of the rail is to be taken over by a private sector contractor. The Finance Ministry is preparing to hand over construction of a 60 km railroad line between Be'er Sheva and Ashkelon through a private finance initiative. Once construction is completed, the tender winner will be entitled to receive royalties for maintaining the line, while operation of the route will remain in the hands of Israel Railways. The new railway from Ashkelon will connect with the Be'er Sheva-Lod line south of the Lahavim-Rahat station, with intermediate stations at the southern towns of Ofakim and Netivot. The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2012. Israel Railways has already begun constructing the line, but has been bogged down by dissent between the Finance Ministry, which argues that the project is not financially viable. (Avi Bar-Eli)

For the first time, government companies received strict instructions on environmental issues yesterday. According to a circular issued by the head of the Government Companies Authority, Udi Nissan, all government companies must present an environmental sustainability strategy along with their financial reports for 2009. And as of 2010 government companies will be required to detail the progress they have made in implementing their plans. Boards of directors are now required to convene in order to draw up the guiding principles of their environmental plans. Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz said that the move is part of the ministry's comprehensive policy to support environmental protection, and called on the companies to pioneer environmental development. (Moti Bassok)

Cancellation of the tourism industry's exemption from VAT will damage Israel's economy, society and image, warns Tourism Ministry Director General Noaz Bar Nir. During a Knesset Finance Committee meeting yesterday, Bar Nir told committee members that although the tourism industry has survived by employing intensive marketing efforts, in spite of operation Cast Lead and the global economic crisis, it would suffer a mortal blow if its exemption from VAT is rescinded. The Bank of Israel estimates that levying VAT would mean a loss of 170,000 tourists annually, Bar Nir reported, and industry sources put that figure at a much higher 290,000. The result, he says, will mean the loss of 5,350 jobs according to the central bank - or 11,600, according to the tourism industry figures. (Zohar Blumenkranz)

In an unusual move yesterday, the Antitrust Authority notified Mirs that it is unlikely to approve a merge with another large cellular company, and called on the company to refrain from revealing commercial data to any of its competitors - Pelephone, Partner and Cellcom. The authority indicated that it would prefer to see a merge between Mirs and Eurocom, HOT or some other communications company. Antitrust Authority head Ronit Kan has rejected mergers between Sonol and Dor Alon, contending that the number of market players should not be cut from four to three. Since the authority is not authorized to oppose merges in advance or on principal, but only on a case-by-case basis, it has not publicized its stance on the issue. (Amitai Ziv)
PROMOTION: Mamilla Hotel
Bookmark to del.icio.us  
 
Photoshop republic
Blogger posts photo of pro-regime rally which appears to have been doctored.
Dead Sea, candidate
PA backtracks and supports Dead Sea in '7 natural wonders' contest.
Special Offers
Advertisement
hotel Jerusalem
David Citadel Hotel, come stay at the finest of Jerusalem hotels.
ISRAEL ARMY SURPLUS STORE
IDF insignia,Uniforms, Paladium Boots Watches, Israel Army T-shirts & Collectibles
Dead Sea Skin Care
Quality cosmetics from the Dead Sea. Coupon code HAARETZ for 12% off!
Eldan Rent a Car
Israel's leading car rental company offers you a 20% discount on online reservations
Junkyard
Junk a car - get free towing nationwide and a tax-deductible receipt
More Headlines
23:51 Netanyahu: Obama was right, U.S.-Israel bond unbreakable
18:11 Iran opposition: Election result 'unacceptable'
20:40 Naomi Klein: Oppose the state, not the people
23:58 IDF opens major West Bank checkpoint to Palestinian foot traffic
00:17 Rome gives honorary citizenship to Gilad Shalit
19:55 Thousands support Israeli doctor accused of complicity in torture
17:00 Palestinians backtrack, support Dead Sea for '7 wonders'
20:58 WATCH: Daily news round-up from Israel
23:55 Court: IDF must toughen charges for shooting of bound Palestinian
22:30 New task force rounds up over 300 foreign workers in Tel Aviv raid
18:43 Residents of northern Israel evacuate homes in the path of brush fires
23:56 Peres to Saudi King: Meet me in Jerusalem, or in Riyadh
19:11 Did Ahmadinejad fail again at doctoring photos?
Home | TV | Print Edition | Diplomacy | Opinion | Arts & Leisure | Sports | Jewish World | Site rules |
| Israel 2009 election results | Makom: Engaging on Israel
| Search engine marketing
Haaretz.com, the online edition of Haaretz Newspaper in Israel, offers real-time breaking news, opinions and analysis from Israel and the Middle East. Haaretz.com provides extensive and in-depth coverage of Israel, the Jewish World and the Middle East, including defense, diplomacy, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the peace process, Israeli politics, Jerusalem affairs, international relations, Iran, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, the Palestinian Authority, the West Bank and the Gaza Strip, the Israeli business world and Jewish life in Israel and the Diaspora.
© Copyright  Haaretz. All rights reserved