One of the premier international credit rating agencies, Moody?s Investors Service, has expressed confidence in the Israeli economy, despite what was a rocky year for both the security and the economy of the State of Israel. Israel received a credit rating of A2 in the past and that rating has remained unchanged in the latest publications of Moody?s. The rating, already very good, says Moody?s, would have been higher still had the security situation been better, but the agency rating reflects its identification of positive economic trends. The Moody?s analysts noted the government decision to halt the exclusive government payment of all pension contributions for state employees, making them contributory, as an example of such sound economic indications.