The European center of the BDS (Boycott,
Divestment and Sanctions) movement is in the British Isles (Ireland and the UK). But you wouldn’t be able to infer that from
the close relationship that Dublin’s Trinity College
has with Israel’s Weizmann and Technion Institutes. Their joint
research into treatments for cancer and inflammatory diseases is
phenomenal. And as British Secretary of
State for Business, Innovation and Skills Sajid Javid said, during the annual
British Israel Business Awards event, “The past few years have been a golden
era for Anglo-Israeli business”.
Mr Javid, a “proud British-born Muslim”, told the audience “I
share Israel’s love for freedom and democracy.” So it is no wonder that British Airways is upgrading
its service between London Heathrow and Tel Aviv Ben Gurion by
operating its new wide-body Boeing 787 “Dreamliner”.
There is definitely no boycott in the field
of Medicine. For example, the Joint Accreditation Committee of the
International Society for Cellular Therapy & European Society for Blood and
Marrow Transplantation (JACIE) has recognized the Bone Marrow Transplantation
departments of Israel’s Hadassah
and Schneider
medical centers. It will increase
opportunities for international research.
However, don’t listen to the BBC if you want to know what’s really going
on in the world. The biased corporation
gave fanfare to a Belgium
ovary transplant story, but made no mention of a similar Israeli
one two weeks earlier. And the BBC
totally ignored the vital teamwork of Professor
Jacob Schachter from Israel’s Sheba Medical Center when reporting the melanoma
treatment breakthrough at UK’s Royal Marsden hospital.
Staying in the medical arena, Canada is definitely one of Israel’s best friends. Scientists at Israel’s Bar Ilan University have been working with Canada’s McGill University and have made a breakthrough in the treatment of addiction. By administering a DNA methylation inhibitor, they have removed the cravings that occur during an addict’s withdrawal process. Meanwhile, Canada’s Azrieli Foundation has donated $10 million to the Hebrew University of Jerusalem for researching genetic disorders. But Israeli-Canadian cooperation went literally “out of this world” when the Canadian Space Agency (CSA) and the Israel Space Agency (ISA) agreed to develop advanced applications in satellite communications. Two research projects have already been initiated.
Israel and the USA have always enjoyed an
excellent valued relationship, as former Arkansas Governor and US Presidential
candidate Mike
Huckabee wrote recently. This
year, 65 students from Israel and the US will become Fulbright
Scholars and will study in each other’s country. And we were privileged to see at least
100,000 people line up on both sides of Manhattan’s Fifth Avenue to watch
another 40,000
march in support of Israel at the Israel Day Parade in New York City.
Other recent Israeli Government
international activities include:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hcEjEztv11c#t=10
Despite the anti-Israel rhetoric from South Africa, when it comes to building there the largest radio telescope in the world, it is noticeable that Israel’s Mellanox will supply the telescope’s multicast network. Similarly, all the pressure on Israel to reveal its nuclear secrets hasn’t prevented the International Atomic Energy Agency from ordering 400 million nuclear-sterilized flies from Israel’s BioBee. These flies repel the Mediterranean fruit fly, a pest that has been wreaking havoc on citrus trees in the Balkans. (The IAEA wants to promote peaceful uses of nuclear technology.) Another fair-weather friend, the EU, is eagerly looking forward to purchasing supplies of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) sourced from the new Israeli natural gas fields. Finally, practically every country on the planet wants advice and technology from Israel that will help make best use of limited water supplies.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQWqSgI76FI
Exports of Israeli cyber security products doubled in 2014 to $6 billion. The free world is reliant on Israel’s expertise in cyber security. Following a cyber attack on Germany’s Bundestag, Europe’s largest private organization for applied scientific research in Europe, the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Security, has decided to establish a cyber-security innovation center in Israel.
-
Signing an Authorized Economic
Operator (AEO) Agreement with China.
-
Launching a joint irrigation
project in Kazakhstan.
New international activities involving
Israeli companies include:
-
Integrity’s banking consultancy
support for Belarus.
-
Algatechnologies distributing
its AstaPure astaxanthin antioxidant ingredients to Japan.
Despite the anti-Israel rhetoric from South Africa, when it comes to building there the largest radio telescope in the world, it is noticeable that Israel’s Mellanox will supply the telescope’s multicast network. Similarly, all the pressure on Israel to reveal its nuclear secrets hasn’t prevented the International Atomic Energy Agency from ordering 400 million nuclear-sterilized flies from Israel’s BioBee. These flies repel the Mediterranean fruit fly, a pest that has been wreaking havoc on citrus trees in the Balkans. (The IAEA wants to promote peaceful uses of nuclear technology.) Another fair-weather friend, the EU, is eagerly looking forward to purchasing supplies of Liquified Natural Gas (LNG) sourced from the new Israeli natural gas fields. Finally, practically every country on the planet wants advice and technology from Israel that will help make best use of limited water supplies.
So despite BDS plots to hurt it
financially, Israel, as confirmed by Moody’s chief economist Dr Mark Zandi, has
one
of the world’s best economies.
Its fiscal situation is better than ever, the debt-to-GDP ratio is low
and continues to fall, its economy has been growing for 15 straight years, and
there's almost no unemployment. The
future also looks rosy, as investment in Israeli startups continues
to increase.
Some 280
global high-tech giants have now established R&D centers in
Israel. These include IBM,
where Israeli scientists have turned IBM’s Artificial Intelligence (AI) system
(known as “Watson”) from quiz-show expert (in 2011) and master chef (in 2014)
into a medical advisor (today). High-tech
giants now include Visa
Europe, which has just opened a start-up center
in Tel Aviv.
Exports of Israeli cyber security products doubled in 2014 to $6 billion. The free world is reliant on Israel’s expertise in cyber security. Following a cyber attack on Germany’s Bundestag, Europe’s largest private organization for applied scientific research in Europe, the Fraunhofer Institute for Secure Information Security, has decided to establish a cyber-security innovation center in Israel.
So as the Jewish State looks forward
following the celebrations of its first “Unity
Day” I’ll play out with the messages of support from mega bands One
Republic and Bon
Jovi that have totally ignored calls from the pathetic BDS thugs. But special mention must be given of Art Garfunkel,
who enhanced the lyrics of “Bridge over Troubled Water” with “I’m on your side, Tel
Aviv”.
Finally, a Chabad poster that had been
attached to balloons, drifted from Israel into Lebanon. The terrorist group Hezbollah probably didn’t
realize their implied message
of support to the Jewish State when two of their members lifted up the
banner and displayed “We
Want Moshiach Now” to the world.
Perhaps they thought that they had picked up an Israeli secret
weapon? Perhaps they were right!
Michael Ordman writes a free weekly
newsletter containing positive news stories about Israel.
For a free subscription, email a request to
michael.goodnewsisrael@gmail.com