Skip to content
Wednesday, October 21, 2026English edition
EN FR
The Geopolitician

Country risk, from the local press

Israel · Country watch

Bank of Israel Holds Rate, Minister Probed

Bank of Israel maintains interest rate and updates growth forecast; Likud minister May Golan questioned in a corruption probe.

· · 6 sources

The picture Deteriorating

Business conditions in Israel are deteriorating as political instability increases with Minister May Golan's corruption probe, and the FlyDubai crisis raises travel costs.

Flare-up watch: Watch · Heightened vigilance for staff and travel — Israel country watch →

In this briefing Bank of Israel · FlyDubai · May Golan

Regulation

Nothing significant reported today.

Disruption

Nothing significant reported today.

Internal tension

Nothing significant reported today.

Safety & health

Nothing significant reported today.

Companies

Nothing significant reported today.

Markets

  • Finance

Bank of Israel holds interest rate steady

Bank of Israel, Jerusalem.
Bank of Israel, Jerusalem. This file is a work by Ester Inbar, Attribution via Wikimedia Commons

The Bank of Israel decided to keep its interest rate unchanged, according to Globes. The central bank also revised its growth forecast upwards for 2026 and 2027. This decision aligns with its strategy to support economic stability while monitoring inflation trends. The unchanged rate reflects the bank's assessment of current economic conditions and its outlook for the coming years.

Impact Lenders and borrowers in Israel face stable interest rates, with improved growth expectations.

Sources: Globes ↗

Trade

  • Logistics
  • Tourism

FlyDubai crisis impacts Israeli travel costs

FlyDubai Boeing 737-8GQ A6-FDB at Dubai
FlyDubai Boeing 737-8GQ A6-FDB at Dubai Konstantin von Wedelstaedt, GFDL 1.2 via Wikimedia Commons

The ongoing crisis with FlyDubai has led to increased travel costs for popular routes, according to cursorinfo. New requirements imposed on airlines have caused disruptions, affecting flight availability and pricing. This situation has financial implications for travelers and businesses relying on air transport, particularly in the tourism and logistics sectors.

Impact Travelers and logistics firms face higher costs and disruptions in air travel routes.

Sources: cursorinfo ↗

Politics

  • Public sector

Likud's May Golan questioned in corruption probe

Likud minister May Golan was questioned by police in a corruption probe, as reported by Haaretz. The investigation, which began earlier this year, involves allegations of bribery, fraud, and other offenses. Police had previously stated they had sufficient evidence to charge Golan. This development may affect her political standing and the broader political landscape as the country approaches elections.

Impact Public-sector integrity is under scrutiny, affecting political stability and governance.

Sources: Haaretz ↗

Also today in Israel

Sources in this briefing

Sources: each headline links to the original article on the publisher's site.

All Israel briefings →

The same day elsewhere