Senior officials from Israel’s Finance Ministry held a professional tour on Friday in the City of David to mark Jerusalem Day and the official entry into office of Finance Ministry Director-General Israel Malachi.
The tour was attended by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich and guided by David Be'eri, head of the Elad Association. Participants toured the ancient pilgrimage route in the archaeological area surrounding the Old City of Jerusalem.
Following the tour, the ministry’s senior leadership convened for a formal professional meeting near the walls of the Old City of Jerusalem.
Addressing participants, Smotrich said the ministry’s work on behalf of the Israeli economy is deeply connected to Jewish history and heritage.
“Our extensive activity as a ministry, day by day and hour by hour, for the Israeli economy, draws strength from our people's magnificent heritage," Smotrich said. “We touch history here and are privileged to continue it today in managing the country's economy for the glory of the Jewish people for generations."
During the meeting, Smotrich also announced that the Finance Ministry is advancing a new NIS 80 million development initiative for Jerusalem. The project, described as a national flagship program, will include the establishment of national artificial intelligence laboratories and a large-scale innovation center in the capital’s entrance district, in cooperation with the Jerusalem Municipality and the Jerusalem Development Authority.
According to the minister, the investment is intended to attract elite technology units and leading entrepreneurs to the city, strengthening Jerusalem’s role as both a national and international center for economic growth and innovation.
The initiative is part of a broader government plan expected to be approved on Sunday, which will include hundreds of millions of shekels in additional investments aimed at developing Jerusalem.