- Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Blue and White Party leader Benny Gantz have reached a power-sharing agreement that will see them both serving as prime minister for two years each. The deal, which still needs to be approved by the Israeli parliament, comes after months of negotiations and a deadlock following two inconclusive elections.
- The Israeli military has struck dozens of targets in Gaza in response to rocket fire from Palestinian militants. This latest round of violence began earlier this week when an Israeli air strike killed a senior Islamic Jihad commander.
- A new study has found that the number of Israelis living in poverty has increased for the fifth consecutive year. According to the study, one in four Israelis now lives below the poverty line.
These are just some of the top stories making headlines in Israel today. For more news and updates, be sure to check back regularly.
Beresheet lander crashes on moon, but Israel's space dreams are alive and kicking
The Beresheet spacecraft is the first from a private company to make a lunar landing. After launching from Cape Canaveral in Florida on March 22, it took nearly two months for the unmanned probe to reach its destination. The 5-foot (1.5 meter) tall robotic lander successfully carried out several maneuvers as it orbited the moon before finally touching down Thursday after passing several checks. But then things started going wrong. A glitch in one of its sensors caused mission controllers to abort the landing attempt; they still have not determined what happened exactly, but say that engineers know how to fix this problem and can do so within days or weeks. Despite the setback, many are excited about this achievement and believe that it is a sign of what's to come for Israel's space program.
ISRAELI NEWS, Israel was ranked second in the world for economic freedom according to a new report by the Heritage Foundation. Based on more than 100 variables, the index measures economic openness and examines factors such as property rights, tax burden, monetary stability, and investor protection. Israel has consistently ranked high in these rankings over the years; its strong economy is considered one of its greatest strengths.
And finally, Israeli lawmakers are considering passing a contentious new bill that would place restrictions on foreign funding for non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Critics say that this move is an attempt to muzzle human rights groups and stifle dissent; supporters argue that it will help protect Israel from outside interference.
For more information please visit https://www.viralil.co.il/category/news/.
These are just some of the top stories making headlines in Israel today. For more news and updates, be sure to check back regularly.