Business in Brief

Electric Corp. workers get help from Haredi MKs to stop Shabbat work

The Israel Electric Corporation was prevented from replacing the gas turbines at its Hagit power station in the north, near Elyakim, after its union, with the support of ultra-Orthodox Knesset Members, asked the ministries of National Infrastructures and Industry, Trade and Labor to revoke the special permit for work on the Sabbath. The ministries will hold another hearing on the matter tomorrow. The work is needed to prepare the generating plant to meet winter production needs. A serious technical fault occured at Hagit last month and one of the 340 megawatt turbines had to be shut down. The unit provides one third of the station's generating capacity. A replacement brought to Hagit last week was to have been installed yesterday but the union's northern branch, which is at odds with IEC management over other issues, says the task was not urgent enough to require Saturday work and could be completed during the week. (Avi Bar-Eli)

All-night party for local iPhone debut

Mobile operators Cellcom and Pelephone will launch the iPhone in Israel on Wednesday night, together with local Apple importer iDigital. The festivities will start Wednesday evening and go on until morning, but sales of the phone will only begin a minute after midnight, as Apple only approved iPhone sales in Israel as of Dec. 10. But to get the phones from the two companies you will have to go to the appropriate sales points, set up especially for the event: Cellcom in Tel Aviv's Dizengoff Center and Pelephone in Ramat Gan's Ayalon Mall. The phones will also be sold Wednesday night at the iDigital store in the Ramat Aviv Mall. The companies involved declined to comment, and the price has yet to be revealed. (Amitai Ziv)

Eilat Port appoints Kadima activist as CEO ? despite public criticism

Former Kadima party worker Avishai Cohen was officially approved as CEO of the Eilat Port on Thursday, despite public criticism and attempts by the Movement for Quality Government to quash the appointment. The Government Companies Authority even expressed disapproval of the appointment, but the port's board of directors approved the appointment of Cohen over 30 other candidates, even though he has no experience with the ports. The board had approved Cohen's appointment three months ago, but the GCA canceled it claiming problems with the tender process. The board simply repeated the appointment process. (Avi Bar-Eli)