Ari Mushell, at The Blogs

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Jan 5, 2022, 6:20 PM

Revisiting Bank of Israel Monetary Policy

The Bank of Israel, which holds supreme control over Israeli currency policy, seems to have shifted gears from its breakthrough policy several years ago. Recently, the Bank of Israel has been reticent to intervene in currency management. As a...

Jul 8, 2016, 7:22 PM

Foolish, Israel Does Not Have Deposit Insurance

Banking crises are difficult. The 2007-9 banking crisis punctuated this point, wherein markets suffered, liquidity dried up, unemployment soared, and sovereigns lost ability to fund themselves through capital markets. Working-class and fixed-income retirees often went from comfortable existence to...

Apr 18, 2016, 8:37 PM

The Metaphysics of Article 49

Israel signed the Geneva Convention relative to the Protection of Civilian Persons in Time of War (better known as the Fourth Geneva Convention (“GCIV”)) in 1953. Since 1967, with the advent of the settlers’ movement, opponents to Israeli settlement...

Mar 10, 2016, 12:22 AM

Israel’s Economic Paradox

The advent of the Bretton Woods economic system in 1944 ushered in the era of GDP worship. Since then, and despite forces trying to temper its significance, the GDP remains the primary metric for determining economic health. It represents...

Feb 18, 2016, 11:57 PM

The Hamas Economy: The Illogical Choice

In 2015, World Bank figures claimed that the Gaza Strip was on the “verge of economic collapse” and it had an unemployment rate of 44%, the world’s highest. Similarly, the CIA World Factbook reported a difficult economic situation in...

Feb 4, 2016, 12:13 AM

The Currency Conundrum: Does the Economic Cartel Bind the Economy?

Illustrative photo of Israeli shekels. (Sophie Gordon/Flash90)

There are limits to how far fiscal policy can take an economy - and Israel appears to have reached it

Dec 10, 2015, 7:12 PM

The Nash Equilibrium and the Economy: The Never Got It

In contrast to Brussels that shut down its infrastructure under the threat of a possible ISIS terrorist attack, Israeli infrastructure accounts for possible terrorist attacks so that an attack will not shut down services. Israel is in a perpetual...

Sep 3, 2015, 1:34 AM

The Danger of Israel Bonds

Since its inception in 1951, Israel has issued bonds through the Development Corporation for Israel, its U.S. securities underwriter, with sales approaching $40 billion. Israel later established branches in Canada and Europe, known as Canada-Israel Securities and Development Corporation...

Jun 18, 2015, 10:07 PM

Saudi Arabia, Israel’s Improbable Ally? Part II

Inflation. That word triggers negative thoughts, especially for Israelis who recall the hyperinflation of the early 1980s. It is also a dilemma for the Bank of Israel’s monetary policy: balancing inflation through currency control while providing liquidity to the...

May 7, 2015, 5:06 PM

Revisiting the Eichmann Trial: Was It Fair?

Beginning in 1960 the Mossad conducted an operation in Buenos Aries, Argentina to locate Adolph Eichmann (may his name be blotted out) and subsequently bring him to justice. Then-Mossad Chief Isser Harel went to Buenos Aries to oversee the...

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About Me

Ari Mushell works in the banking industry.