Just when it looked like the Bank of Israel had come to a simple and easy decision, and there was not much to fight about, the decision on the new bills, and what images would grace them, has been put on hold.

Turns out, nothing is an easy decision.

Menachem Begin's family, his son Benny Begin and others, oppose his image being used. he was a very private and modest person and would not want his image on the bills.

The haredi reps said that while they would not turn it into a crisis, they oppose having the image of a woman on the bills.

A new proposal, put forth by many, is to have a religious leader's image grace the bills, and that would be the image of Rav Mordechai Eliyahu zt"l.

So, in the meantime, the decision has been put on hold while all these issues get debated and worked out. As they say, it ain't over till the fat lady sings...

The new bills have been decided upon. The Bank  Of Israel decided that it was time to refresh the currency of Israel with new images, images including both statesmen and people of the arts, and a woman.

There was much debate as to who deserved the honor to have his and her images grace the Israeli currency, with many good recommendations.

Bank of Israel governor Stanley Fisher made the final decisions this morning, getting the approval of PM Benjamin Netanyahu and soon to bring his decisions to the government to vote upon.

And the winners are:
Prime Ministers Menachem Begin and Yitzchak Rabin who both signed peace treaties with neighboring Arab states, Author Shay Agnon, and Poetess Rachel the Poetess (a.k.a Rachel Bluwstein Sela).

Surprisingly, Rachel the Poetess beat out Naomi Shemer.

This is a video clip that was recorded on 8mm film during the Six Day War. It was recently discovered in a closet and converted to a modern day format.

Warning for those interested: Background singer is female

Is Olmert extending his grip on the seat of the Prime Ministership by killing Palestinians?

Just yesterday Olmert announced that he still does not approve any incursion or action in Gaza.

Today Avigdor Lieberman was to meet (I think they are meeting now) with Olmert to discuss the government's diplomatic moves. Olmert and Livni are leading talks with the PA that include negotiations over the core issues of Jerusalem.

Yisrael Beiteinu, led by Avigdor Lieberman, has come out against these talks and announced that when the government begins talks on the "core issues" they will leave the coalition. Lieberman is against negotiating over the core issues, and especially right now - he says there are many things to be discussed before getting to the core issues, so to discuss them now is premature. He announced he would leave the government when such discussions take place.

These discussions are officially taking place now.

Lieberman, in anticipation of a possible announcement that he is leaving the government, is meeting with Olmert to clarify what is exactly being negotiated. Olmert is expected to try to convince Lieberman to stay in the coalition.

With Lieberman expected to announce his decision tonight, suddenly today Olmert approves an offensive in Gaza that has so far killed 17 Palestinians (as long as they continue shooting rockets at Israel, as long as they support a government of terror, as long as they continue to hold Gilad Shalit captive, I will say "phoot phoot phoot", "the more the merrier", "kein yirbu", etc.).

So has Olmert approved this attack in Gaza simply so he could come to Lieberman with something in his hand's? He can now say "Look at how I fight terror", so stay in the government. I will protect Israel's interests even though you are against these negotiations.

Is Olmert buying his stay in power on the blood of the Palestinians? hmmmm

This will, of course, be added to his purchase of power with the Shastitutes. Olmert created a new ministry, the Ministry of Religious Affairs, specifically to give to Shas so they would not abandon the government coalition. This was just approved yesterday.

Yitzchak Cohen, the MK from Shas who has been appointed the Minister of religious Affairs, claims that it was necessary to create the ministry just to give him the authority (that had been handled by him under the auspices of the Prime Minister's Office until now) so he could ensure proper payments of salaries to the Rabbis and mikva attendants and others who have not been paid for months.

Why he could not use the responsibility he had as running the department when it was under the PMO with his management, and only now that it is his ministry, I do not know.

But Olmert bought Shas by giving themthis ministry and all the budgets and jobs that come with it.

So he has now bought an extension of power by bribing Shas, and killing Palestinians for Lieberman.

Whatever it takes.

After the introduction of the new 2 shekel coin (nicknamed shtekel, or shnekel by others) last month, the Bank of Israel announced at the beginning of this month that they were going to cancel a different coin.

The BOI has now announced the demise of the 5 agora coin. If you have been stockpiling these coins somewhere, you can no longer use them to pay bills, go to the supermarket or anything else. I wonder if you can get away with giving them to the meshulachim who come to the door.... hmmmm....

But do not throw them away. Until 2011 they will still be honored at the Bank of Israel and you can exchange them for higher levels of currency.

If you go to a store and find prices still using increments that have no coins associated with them, such as .02 or .05, or the like, not to worry. The BOI has established that all prices below .05 will round down (17.02 will round down to 17.00 for example), and all prices above .05 (including .05) will round up (17.05 will round up to 17.10, for example).

The main reason for canceling the 5 agora coin, the BOI says, is the rising cot of production. It has been costing the government 16 agorot to produce each 5 agora coin!