Israel's History:
1985

1985:
by Liat Tzoubari, 2002-2003 ECRUSY Israel Affairs VP

Here's the scoop on 1985 in Eretz Yisrael!

• Israel Aircraft Industries unveils the first prototype of the Lavi fighter plane; the program is discontinued in 1987 for budgetary reasons.
• Free trade agreement is signed with the United States.
• Over a thousand terrorists imprisoned in Israel are exchanged for three Israeli POWs from the war in Lebanon.
• Israel withdraws from Lebanon, retaining a narrow security zone to protect northern Israel.
• An emergency stabilization program put into effect by the government, succeeds in lowering annual inflation from 445% to 20%.
• An Administrative Attache at the Israeli embassy in Cairo is killed by terrorists.
• The New Israeli Shekel replaces the shekel: NIS 1 = IS 1,000.
• An Egyptian soldier opens fire on a group of Israeli tourists and kills 7.
• Eilat becomes a free trade zone.
• Jonathan Pollard is tried for spying for Israel in the US and sentenced to life imprisonment.
• Tefen industrial park, a launching pad for start-up export industries with surroundings planned with environmental awareness, opens its gates.