Moti Bassok

Steering committee, established by Netanyahu and Steinitz, to meet with various groups in an attempt to make Israel a world leader on living standards and socioeconomic strength.

Bank of Israel to put wordsmiths on new banknotes, after governor gives in on demand to include politicians Begin and Rabin on bills

Bank of Israel to put wordsmiths on new banknotes, after governor forfeits demand to include politicians Begin and Rabin on bills.

Minister succumbs to pressure from union chief and PM, agrees to 7.5% increase.

As the shekel strengthened during 2010, the Bank of Israel's enormous dollar holdings became worth less and less, and this accounts for the vast majority of the loss.

Report prepared by the central bank’s research division states that the defense establishment overspent its budget even though there were no major security incidents, such as a war.

Market players estimate that inflation in a year's time will be running at 3.5%; The Bank of Israel had no choice but to raise interest rates in order to rein in inflation.

Higher interest on the shekel is an appreciatory factor: It could attract speculators who would cause the Israeli currency to strengthen, to the misery of exporters

Netanyahu: Defense budget to rise; canceled tax breaks were to have gone to taxpayers in the three highest tax brackets, Those in the lowest brackets will still receive their planned reductions.

Half the money, NIS 150 million, comes from a 1% across-the-board cut to all government ministries except the Defense Ministry.

Half of NIS 300m for public transport to come from other ministries.

Economists now believe that the Bank of Israel is extremely likely to raise interest rates for March to keep a lid on inflation.

While the Israeli economy grew by 7.8% in the last quarter, according to data released by the Central Bureau of Statistics yesterday, the euro-zone economy is estimated to have grown by just 0.3% in that period.

Yehuda Nasradishi, the Israel Tax Authority tax commissioner, informed Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz recently that he would be retiring on April 30, 2011, when he completed four years as commissioner.

Attorney Ehud Barzily is a well-known figure in the Israeli tax world; he served as deputy income tax commissioner from 1996 to 2000, and legal advisor to the income tax commission from 1999 to 2000.

The government is cutting spending to be able to reduce the tax on gasoline and water, and to subsidize public transportation.

Announces rise in minimum wage, cancels planned tax on gasoline.

The question is, what are they hiding?

Netanyahu and Finance Minister Yuval Steinitz set to present the government's plan to compensate the public for the recent price hikes resulting from higher taxes.

Steinitz was taken to the hospital late Tuesday after he reported feeling ill in his home; after concluding a thorough medical examination, doctors at Hadassah kept the finance minister under observation for a period of 24 hours.

Steinitz was hospitalized in Hadassah Ein Karem were he underwent a series of examinations; he is currently in good condition.

. Most first-time buyers (such as young couples ) in the periphery are exempt from tax even at the current levels, but people buying in Jerusalem, Tel Aviv and the center of the country often wind up paying tax on their first apartment.