Locating tiny Israel on
a world map can be a difficult exercise. Many people would even be
uncertain as to which continent Israel belongs to. One thing you can be sure of, however, is that you will find
Israelis all over the world providing help to millions with innovative products
and development aid.
I will start in the medical arena where CNN
recently reported that the “robotic trousers” from Israel’s ReWalk are now
helping paraplegics to walk at 23 treatment centers across
the United States. Next,
following the BBC’s
program about Israel’s InSightec curing tremor due to brain defects,
InSightec has now revealed that a major UK hospital
has bought the company’s ExAblate MRI focused ultrasound device to
non-invasively remove uterine fibroids.
The Hebrew University of Jerusalem has just
finished running a conference to analyze how the Jews of pre-State Palestine
eliminated malaria. Lessons learned
could help remove the scourge of malaria
prevalent currently in Africa.
Israel is also working to develop malaria treatments and innovative
methods to kill the
mosquitoes that spread the virus.
Due to Arab belligerence, the United
Nations has never been able to place Israel in its
rightful geographic group. But
last week, the UN passed an Israeli-sponsored resolution dedicated to
sustainable agricultural advancements for
developing countries. 138
countries voted “Yes” whilst all the Arab states abstained. An example of Israel’s earth-shattering
agro-tech companies is Rootility, which has a root-growing platform that can
increase world
crop yields substantially. It
was the star of Israel’s recent AgriVest agricultural conference. In a separate
development Ben-Gurion University announced that it is establishing a center
for excellence on fertile
land erosion.
Israel recently has received world
recognition for its humanitarian efforts.
On its Northern border, Israel has been sending water and baby food to
besieged Syrian villages. In
addition to bringing injured Syrians
into Israeli hospitals for treatment, the IDF has also been using its
groundbreaking innovation of freeze-dried plasma in its field hospitals to save
wounded Syrians from critical blood loss. Meanwhile, Israel’s IsraAID
delegation continues to provide relief to typhoon victims in
the Philippines. The team is dealing with trauma and physical health
problems, extending its role as other countries pull out.
Last week three Israeli companies
separately announced large contracts with countries on the American
continent. Israel’s Ormat Industries is
to build and operate the first-ever geothermal
power plant in Honduras, producing 18-megawatts of renewable energy
from heat sources deep below the Earth’s surface. In Peru, Kallpa Generaction, a subsidiary of Israel Corporation,
has been awarded the Peruvian
government tender to build a 593MW dual-fuel power station. The agreement is for 20 years and worth $1
billion. Finally, Israel’s national
water carrier Mekorot has signed an agreement
with Mexico to help purify and protect the groundwater in Mexican
aquifers.
Israeli technology received global
attention when Eldad Farkash of Israel’s SiSense won a top prize at the World
Technology Awards. Farkash has invented software that allows business
users to analyze vast amounts of data at huge speeds using minimal
hardware. Hungry multinational
company Apple Inc swallowed yet another bite of Israeli hi-tech when it
paid $350 million for Tel Aviv-based PrimeSense, whose revolutionary gesture
recognition technology is embedded in Microsoft’s Kinect running on Xbox 360
game consoles.
On the international stage, the Jewish
State was recognized for its human rights when the Women
in Parliament Global Forum awarded Israel the prize for progress at the
European Parliament in Brussels. According to the OECD, Israel is among a
minority of 9 percent of developed countries with gender-sensitive institutions
in the seat of government. And Japan’s
Cultural Institute awarded Professor Ben-Ami Shillony of the Hebrew University
of Jerusalem its annual prize for promoting
the understanding between cultures.
Professor Shillony’s book “The Secret of Japan’s Strength” was selected
ahead of 74 other works in Japanese.
Finally, proof that perception of Israel
changes dramatically for the better when people see the Jewish State close
up. A survey of easyJet passengers from
the UK showed that 65 percent of first-time
tourists had improved their view of the Jewish State following their
visit. And 82 percent would recommend
it to others as a holiday destination.
So if your friends don’t know where
Israel is, persuade them to come here and find it.
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
