How Israel’s War in Gaza Is Hurting Its Own Economy
Big Take23 Jan 2024

How Israel’s War in Gaza Is Hurting Its Own Economy

Over the last few decades, Israel has transformed itself from a relatively poor agrarian economy to a global startup haven. Its per capita GDP now exceeds that of France, the UK and Japan. But with Hamas’ attack on Israel – which killed 1,200 people and claimed more than 200 hostages – and Israel’s subsequent invasion of Gaza, that economic trajectory could be at risk.

Some 360,000 Israeli reservists were called to serve in the military in the days that followed October 7th, destabilizing Israel’s workforce, while economic growth is forecast to have plummeted in the last quarter of 2023. And as Israel continues its invasion of Gaza – a war that has already claimed the lives of more than 25,000 Palestinians, according to Hamas officials – Israel’s military spending is expected to balloon. The country’s just-released 2024 budget calls for $19 billion in war-related expenditures.

On today’s Big Take podcast, Israelis involved in building the country’s vibrant start-up ecosystem share their stories of how the aftermath of October 7th has impacted their employees and the community’s operations – and Bloomberg’s Galit Altstein walks us through what it could all mean for Israel’s economic future.

Read more: An Isolated Israel Doubles Down on War in Gaza — At All Costs

This episode was produced by: David Fox
Senior Producers: Naomi Shavin and Gilda Di Carli
Editors: Caitlin Kenney and Jordan Fabian
Executive Producer: Sage Bauman
Sound Design/Engineer: Blake Maples and Alex Sugiura
Fact-checker: Adriana Tapia
Special thanks to Galit Altstein and Israel bureau chief Ethan Bronner for the reporting that inspired this episode.

Have questions or comments for the team? Reach us at bigtake@bloomberg.net.

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Episoder(818)

Betting on Sunday’s Game? Here’s Who You’re Up Against

Betting on Sunday’s Game? Here’s Who You’re Up Against

When the Seattle Seahawks take on the New England Patriots on Sunday, more than $2.6 billion in wagers will be on the line. A growing share — $800 million — will come through prediction markets like K...

6 Feb 18min

Generic Versions of Weight Loss Drugs Will Upend the Market

Generic Versions of Weight Loss Drugs Will Upend the Market

Shares of Novo Nordisk were down Thursday morning after Hims & Hers introduced a compounded version of its Wegovy pill. The dip came two days after Novo predicted its sales could drop as much as 13% t...

5 Feb 17min

Has the AI Reckoning Arrived?

Has the AI Reckoning Arrived?

AI anxiety is coursing through the stock market right now. From Tuesday’s global selloff in software and technology stocks to last week’s $381 billion Microsoft rout, investors are skittish over any s...

4 Feb 18min

Behind Thailand’s Push to Recriminalize Cannabis

Behind Thailand’s Push to Recriminalize Cannabis

Four years after Thailand became the first country in Asia to decriminalize cannabis, its booming market is at a crossroads. Initial high hopes for a tourism surge and a billion-dollar industry have b...

3 Feb 19min

What Is (And Isn’t) in the Latest Epstein Files Release

What Is (And Isn’t) in the Latest Epstein Files Release

The Department of Justice released another batch of documents from the so-called Epstein Files on Friday. It brings the total number of pages the DOJ has made public since December to nearly 3.5 milli...

2 Feb 18min

Weekend Listen: Why the Tech World Is Going Crazy for Claude Code

Weekend Listen: Why the Tech World Is Going Crazy for Claude Code

In the AI industry, there's always a hot new thing. First it was ChatGPT. Then it was the image generators. There was the DeepSeek moment. In the latter half of last year, everyone was excited about h...

1 Feb 54min

How Kevin Warsh Could Shape the Fed

How Kevin Warsh Could Shape the Fed

After months of speculation and a publicized selection process befitting The Apprentice, President Trump has announced his pick to lead the Federal Reserve: former Fed Governor Kevin Warsh. Historical...

30 Jan 18min

The Fight Over ICE Funding

The Fight Over ICE Funding

The US Senate failed to advance a government spending package on Thursday, setting up for a partial government shutdown. At the center of the debate is funding for the Department of Homeland Security....

29 Jan 19min

Populært innen Politikk og nyheter

giver-og-gjengen-vg
aftenpodden
aftenpodden-usa
i-retten
stopp-verden
forklart
popradet
nokon-ma-ga
dine-penger-pengeradet
det-store-bildet
fotballpodden-2
rss-gukild-johaug
aftenbla-bla
hanna-de-heldige
rss-ness
bt-dokumentar-2
e24-podden
frokostshowet-pa-p5
rss-dannet-uten-piano
rss-penger-polser-og-politikk