{
  "id": 16468591,
  "title": "'Of no help whatsoever': Economists, entrepreneurs call out Netanyahu for 'bizarre' crypto plan",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/of-no-help-whatsoever-economists-entrepreneurs-call-out-netanyahu-for",
  "topic": "finance",
  "section": "Finance & Markets",
  "published": "2026-10-25T11:58:52.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Jerusalem Post",
    "slug": "jerusalem-post",
    "url": "https://www.jpost.com/business-and-innovation/article-912781"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "A coalition of 109 economists, prominent business minds, tech innovators, and former top officials have delivered a scathing rebuke to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for his unconventional cryptocurrency proposal. The group issued a vehement statement, warning of catastrophic economic fallout if sanctions were to be enforced against Israel. The economists highlighted that Netanyahu's proposal, which envisions circumventing banking sanctions using blockchain technology, is akin to methods employed by criminal organizations and would prove utterly ineffective. They cautioned that such sanctions could precipitate soaring unemployment, obliterate foreign investment, and cripple Israel's high-tech sector, the country's economic growth engine. The economists compared the possible outcome to the dire living standards experienced in nations like South Africa, Iran, and Russia, which have endured severe sanctions. The signatories, which included two Nobel laureates, a former Bank of Israel governor, and a host of former senior Finance Ministry officials, expressed grave concerns over the potential collapse of Israel's international standing and the ensuing economic isolation. The economists’ warnings reverberated throughout the election campaign, with opposition leaders and business leaders mounting a robust counterattack against Netanyahu's bizarre plan.",
  "summary": "The letter follows an interview in which Netanyahu revealed that he had requested a plan to circumvent banking sanctions using cryptocurrencies and blockchain technology.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 9,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Middle East Eye",
        "title": "Netanyahu tells Israelis to brace for sanctions, suggests crypto workaround",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/netanyahu-tells-israelis-to-brace-for-sanctions-suggests-crypto",
        "published": "2026-10-24T05:13:37.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Investing.com",
        "title": "Netanyahu explores crypto to bypass potential sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/netanyahu-explores-crypto-to-bypass-potential-sanctions",
        "published": "2026-10-24T11:42:40.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al Jazeera",
        "title": "Netanyahu floats Crypto to bypass sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/netanyahu-floats-crypto-to-bypass-sanctions",
        "published": "2026-10-24T13:27:11.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Financial Times",
        "title": "Israel central bank rejects Netanyahu’s plan to use crypto to evade sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/israel-central-bank-rejects-netanyahus-plan-to-use-crypto-to-evade",
        "published": "2026-10-24T19:19:48.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Globes English",
        "title": "BoI slams Netanyahu's crypto plan for evading sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/24/boi-slams-netanyahus-crypto-plan-for-evading-sanctions",
        "published": "2026-10-24T19:32:00.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Al-Monitor",
        "title": "Netanyahu rebuked for plan to use crypto to bypass economic sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/netanyahu-rebuked-for-plan-to-use-crypto-to-bypass-economic-sanctions",
        "published": "2026-10-25T11:46:35.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "The Times of Israel",
        "title": "Top economists ‘gravely concerned’ at Netanyahu touting crypto to beat sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/top-economists-gravely-concerned-at-netanyahu-touting-crypto-to-beat",
        "published": "2026-10-25T13:09:04.000Z"
      },
      {
        "outlet": "Times of India",
        "title": "'BibiCoin policy': Netanyahu faces backlash over plan to use crypto to bypass sanctions",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/10/25/bibicoin-policy-netanyahu-faces-backlash-over-plan-to-use-crypto-to",
        "published": "2026-10-25T16:37:42.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}