Due to a 56% increase in fuel prices, since the beginning of the year, the Ministry of Transport approved last week a request by El Al Israel Airlines to raise fares from August 22

According to revised estimates published last week by the Central Bureau of Statistics ( CBS ), the local economy grew by an annualized rate of 4.9% in the first half of 2005, following a 5.4% increase in the previous six months

Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute director Yechiel Assia said last week that industrial exports, excluding diamonds, to the European Community ( EEC) rose by 11% in the first half of 2005 to $4.2 billion

The joint Israel-Egypt Qualified Industrial Zones (QIZ) committee met last week in Jerusalem to examine the first quarter operation of the QIZs

Caspi shipping inaugurated last week a weekly RoRo service from Haifa via Limassol to Piraeus. From Piraeus cargo will be dispatched overland to Italy and European destinations

COSCO is now offering a weekly, short transit time service with fixed day of loading, connecting Far Eastern ports Shanghai, Hong Kong , Shekou and Singapore with Israel and west Med ports: Naples, Fos, Barcelona, Valencia

Zim Integrated Shipping confirmed last week that it would sponsor "Etgarim", Israel's disabled athletes sailing team, in its preparation for the 2008 Beijing Paralympic Games

The arrival of the vessel marked the company's first round the world service, linking ports in the Far East with Israel and from Israel, through South European ports, to the east coast of the USA