(JNS.org) The American technology giant Intel Corporation will close its Jerusalem-based production plant by the end of this year, transferring the plant’s 170 employees to Intel’s Kiryat Gat facility in southern Israel, Globes reported. The closure follows the announcement of 12,000 layoffs by Intel around the world. A small number of Intel’s Jerusalem employees will be laid off, but it is not yet clear how many of the chip maker’s 10,000 R&D employees across Israel will be affected by the company’s streamlining plan. Amid a decline in sales for Intel computer chips, the California-headquartered company is reportedly shifting its focus to wearable technology, cloud computing, and data servers.