Great news from israel

Good News, Israel
Compliments of Anglo Raanana Real Estate
· National anthems have become a controversial issue in a number of countries. In France, far-right politicians accused immigrant athletes of not knowing how to sing the anthem. During the last U.S. presidential campaign, President Barack Obama no less, forgot to put his hand where his heart is while the “Star-Spangled Banner” played. And in Israel, one MK, nameless, (Labor) attacked another MK also nameless and shall ever remain so (Hadash), claiming he/she does not know “Hatikva.” But the rest of our citizens do far better. When asked what they think of when hearing the anthem, 91% said they think about the Jewish people or that “the song belongs to all of us” and 79% reported they feel patriotism and pride as indeed they do when seeing the flag. Please read on

· It is difficult to think of a more symbolic moment in Israeli sports, not only in this decade, but in the country’s 61 years of independence: Draped in the Israeli flag, and anybody who saw it will never forget it, with the 2002 European Championship gold medal around his neck, pole vaulter, Alex Averbukh, and nobody would dispute that he was one of our greatest ever, wept uncontrollably while the national anthem played at the Munich Olympic Stadium, almost 30 years to the day that 11 Israeli athletes were murdered by Palestinian terrorists at the 1972 Olympic Games. Perhaps that’s what it all means.
· The demand for new apartments in October 2009 totaled about 2,490 units – a 19% rise compared to October 2008, according to figures compiled by the Central Bureau of Statistics and the Housing and Construction Ministry. Time to buy, folks.
· Some 25 new immigrants from five South American countries accompanied President Shimon Peres on his return to Israel. The olim from Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Peru and Uruguay left Sao Paulo, Brazil, with Peres following his weeklong visit to Argentina and Brazil [He’s been around to a lot of other places since then but we’re just having a little difficulty keeping pace]. They were scheduled to arrive on the Wednesday at Ben Gurion Airport. In 2009, about 1,200 new immigrants from Latin America will make aliyah to Israel under the auspices of the Jewish Agency for Israel, the agency said and we say; May the tribe increase.
· Consumers racked up 9.1% more on their credit cards between August and October than they did in the three preceding months, the Central Bureau of Statistics announced this week. This follows a 9.2% increase between May and July. The figures include an increase in goods and services purchases, as well as in food and drink bought. Israelis are earning more, are developing greater confidence in the future of our overall situation and are pumping more money back into the economy and what could be better news than that?
· We at GN believe that fur coats look absolutely beautiful…but only when they’re worn by their original owners and we are not, repeat not, bunny-huggers. Now it seems that the vast majority of Israelis agree with us. Eighty-six percent of Israelis believe killing animals for their fur is immoral, according to a recent poll. The survey further showed that 79% of Israelis support a bill that prohibits the fur industry in its entirety, including all importation, production and sales in Israel. Hedad [the Hebrew equivalent of Bravo]! The furriers are not so fond of us but the furry creatures absolutely adore every single one of the eighty-six percent.
· Israel is the most attractive country in the Middle East, and one of the best in the world for venture capital and private equity investment and a lot of other things too, we might add, according to a new survey. Israel comfortably beat regional competitors United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia in The Global Venture Capital and Private Equity Country Attractiveness Index, which was published Monday by global accountants Ernst & Young. The index measures a country’s attractiveness to outside investors based on its social, cultural and economic environment, taxation, governance and business infrastructure. Israel showed a major improvement in taxation since the first survey four years ago and also scored high marks for fostering entrepreneurial opportunities.
· One doesn’t discuss fertilizers in company, it just doesn’t seem polite but we thought we’d let you know that ICL [Israel Chemicals and they produce fertilizers] posted revenues of $1.35 billion for the third quarter, slightly beating analysts’ consensus.
· Solaria, will install two solar energy systems on a 1,200-square meter roof at a commercial center at a gas station in Carmiel, and a third system on a 1,000-square meter roof at a commercial center at a gas station in Migdal Ha’Emek. The electricity provided will be sufficient for the entire centers with a little left over and if that isn’t GN, we don’t know what is!
· Vegetarian meat substitute products are in, NIS 881 million in, in fact, thanks to 70% growth in exports, in August and November 2008, respectively. Finland, Norway, Germany and the US all contributed to Osem’s success in the field.
· Is it a bird, is it a plane…? No, it’s a Technion hovercraft that can do all sorts of clever things. Like? Like flying into a building through a window, taking photographs, relaying the pictures to base in real time, detect and avoid barriers, flying right out again and using a three dimensional map, preserving altitude and returning to base with little or no help from its ‘handlers’. Another step towards humanpower-free warfare. And all designed and executed by a team of super brained boffins from our very own Technion!
· Bank Hapoalim will lend Shaul Elovitch NIS 3.9 billion to acquire the controlling interest in Bezeq The Israeli Telecommunication Co. Ltd. The parties are due to sign the agreement next week. NIS 3.9 billion!? $1.033 Billion or near enough as makes no difference!? Now that’s a whole lot of greenbacks. His credit must be really good the last time we wanted to borrow NIS 1000 … Oh well never mind!
· A NIS 60 million water purifier is about to be built that will cleanse the polluted lower waters of the Jordan, returning them to their pristine state and allowing for a large tourist project containing a number of interesting sites including prehistoric villages inhabited by wanderers from Africa and an ancient flour mill. The two sides of the river are due to remain undeveloped, and tourist facilities including holiday villages will be set up in neighboring communities
· Nochi Dankner-controlled Clal Industries and Investments Ltd. have increased the size of its bond issue in response to heavy demand from institutional investors. Bearing 5.7% annual interest Clal Industries obtained heavy orders for NIS 1 billion notes in the institutional stage of the bond offering yesterday. The company originally planned to raise NIS 150 million in this stage, and upped the amount to NIS 205 million in response to the demand. The company plans to raise NIS 250 million altogether and it doesn’t look as if they’re going to have any difficulty doing it either. And we can’t think of a better way to end this weeks GN.