H eadlines
ISRAELBRIEFS Israeli Economy Grows 15.4% in Q2
ISRAEL’S ECONOMY GREW 15.4% in the year’s second quarter
compared to the previous quarter — an increase attributed to the
removal of COVID-19 restrictions, Globes reported, citing data
from the Central Bureau of Statistics.

Overall, the economy grew 5.3% in the first half of 2021,
compared to the final six months of 2020.

A sharp increase in car imports contributed to 12.4% gross
domestic product growth. GDP per capita rose by 13.5% and
private consumption grew by 36.3%.

Israel’s quarterly growth figure was higher than Organisation
for Economic Co-operation and Development countries Belgium
(14.5%), Canada (13.8%), United States (12.2%) and Austria (11.4%),
but less than Portugal (15.4%), Italy (1.3%) and France (18.7%).

Major Wildfire Near Jerusalem Contained
A large wildfire near Jerusalem that was considered contained
as of Aug. 17 reignited two days later, requiring additional
firefighting efforts, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Evacuated residents were initially allowed to return home
except in some areas in Ramat Raziel and Giv’at Ye’arim.

More than 6,000 acres were burned in the mountains of
Jerusalem. About 150 Fire and Rescue teams worked with the
Israel Air Force, Keren Kayemeth LeIsrael-Jewish National Fund,
Home Front Command, Israel Nature and Parks Authority, and
Palestinian Authority firefighting teams from Jericho and Ramallah
to contain the fire. More than 1,500 firefighters participated.

“The devastation is unimaginable,” Environmental Protection
Minister Tamar Zandberg said. “There is extensive damage
to the environment. Entire ecosystems have been completely
destroyed. The nature of the Jerusalem mountains [means it] will
have a hard time rehabilitating itself.”
IDF Troops Compete in Capture the Flag Tournament
Forty-five Israel Defense Forces troops from the joint Cyber
Defense Division were among the teams from 10 countries
participating in an international Capture the Flag cyber tourna-
ment hosted by U.S. Army Cyber, The Jerusalem Post reported.

Israel’s team placed second in the event, which involves the
teams defending their cybersecurity systems from would-be
hackers — a take-off of the staple child’s game where two teams
seek to retrieve the opposing team’s flag from their territory.

“This was a great way to train our people in a new environ-
ment that they are not used to, and take their skills and test them
in a new environment,” said Lt.-Col. O, a senior officer in the
JCDD. “It’s four to five hours where your mind is tested in the
most extreme way to find new challenges.”
Israeli Grower to Begin Avocado Production in Morocco
Mehadrin, which is Israel’s largest citrus grower and exporter,
entered into an agreement to grow avocados in Morocco, The
Jerusalem Post reported.

“Planting the avocados in Morocco is part of a larger plan to
be able to supply our European customers more easily than from
Israel in terms of geography and in terms of more competitive
costs,” Shaul Shelach, CEO of Mehadrin, told The Algemeiner.

Mehadrin now exports Israeli avocados during its growing
season from October to either March or April. Demand is
outstripping supply, and avocados are expected to be the fastest-
growing commodity among fresh tropical fruits. l
— Compiled by Andy Gotlieb
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM JEWISH EXPONENT
AUGUST 26, 2021
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