Day #24 of 28: 5-Jan-2009

**Prognostication**
Gaza: The weapons, fuel, food, supplies that the Israeli Army brings with them in their ground offensive will be confiscated in massive, unprecendented and unanticipated military tactics by their opposition. This simply following: "Necessity is the Mother of Invention".

**Financing the War**
Putting together some interesting economic tidbits from one of the local papers: Haaretz

1. Tourism = 6% of Israel GDP
2. Budget for War: NIS 2.4 billion ($634m USD)
3. 1st week of Gaza conflict: 700m NIS ($184m USD trading @ 0.264)

(and the 1st week was mostly aerial attacks w/ light support from Navy - but no ground troop activities other than initial "staging")

Prediction: Total=25 days of conflict before budget is depleted - starting at 27-Dec-2008. (Note: this will not make an immediate difference. Just amassing war debt over the long haul that will at some point take its toll on the local economy. And don't forget the 6% of GDP that tourism represents. That's going to take a direct hit -- prediction 50% minimum decline for 2009.

**ICT Sector**
Lots to do today. All leading toward 5pm conference call with constituent management company providing a web conference demo of their solutions as a potential fit for the multi-site NGO I'm volunteering with here.

**Italians in Jerusalem**
Lively Italian tourist group at the breakfast buffet today. I just love the Mediterranean spirit, and the people who embody it! (In stark contrast to the previous German-based group at the Hotel. Nothing against Germans, just different, that's all. :)

School's back in session today. Great to see all the kids with their backpacks walking along to school and all the chitter-chatter; again in stark contrast to all the broadcast "news" in the local Jerusalem area.