On Saturday night in Netanya, a city located on the coast plain of Israel between Tel Aviv and Haifa, Tali Gotliv – a minister of Bibi Netanyahu’s government – accused their opponents of being traitors.

Hmmm! It is less than 30 years ago, when Netanyahu was the leader of the Parliamentary opposition. He blamed the Prime Minister of the time, Yitzhak Rabin, for treachery. Weeks later, Rabin was assasinated.

Gotliv’s remarks drew the anger of many.

Who are you calling a traitor? Is it my father, who volunteered to fight in ’48?My grandparents, who financially helped build this country? My father-in-law, who did everything to make Aliyah, including being a stowaway, lying about his age, and enlisting in the army, and fought in wars for over 30 years? My mother-in-law who folded parachutes, her sisters, and her brother who all served? The uncle who proudly wears paratrooper’s wings with a red backing? My husband, who served and fought in both Lebanon wars and every “war” after, and volunteered for miluim until he was 50? My nephew with special needs, who all he wanted to do is join Zahal and is now proudly wearing a uniform? Or my daughter, who serves on the Lebanese border as the “eyes of the country”? We are traitors?

MK Tali Gotlieb, you are an embarrassment to the Knesset and to this country.

Shari Wright Pilo posted on Facebook:

The following day, Sunday, was the first full day back after the Passover holiday break

  • The Minister of Finance accused Moody’s of not understanding how economies work, after the agency warned that Israel’s credit status may well be downgraded.
  • It has emerged that Yair Netanyahu, the PM’s son, is on a luxurious holiday in the USA, openly financed by the taxpayer and accompanied by a security entourage.
  • And yet another opinion poll revealed that the decline in the government’s support continues to gather pace. I assume that means from the perspective of Gotliv that the number of traitors in Israel is growing alarmingly!

There is a central organising committee for these protests. One of its main proponents is a former chief of staff and one-time ally of Netanyahu, Moshe Ayalon. His team clearly has access to money. In parallel, there are many local neighbourhood groups emerging spontaneously. I even heard of one of them being called “Grandmothers for Democracy”.

Not by chance, this group was also active in Netanya . Gotliv was accompanied by other top officials, including the Minister of State Security, Itamar Ben Gvir. They addressed around about 500 people. However, their opponents numbered closer to 35,000.

The opponents of the Israeli governments plans can be found in most sections of society. Evidently, the numbers have yet to peak. Few of them hide their views. Gotliv’s shouting does not seem to create for her significant levels of support. Meanwhile, her boss, the PM himself, does not seem to exude the control of previous years. One news station reported him bringing back a behind-the-scenes advisor, previously disgraced by the submarine corruption scandal.

This is a government, driven by a mission convulsed by controversy, and which sees its opponents as enemies of the state. The problem for those at the top is that those underneath them are for now flocking to the devil of the enemy.

After two years of corona lockdowns, and when hightech has taken on an even greater importance in the domestic economy, is there still a role for business mentoring in Jerusalem?

This week, I have been writing a series of posts for LinkedIn on business coaching and mentoring. I have explored core issues such as the role of the mentor, how to find a suitable candidate and what are the potential benefits.

Today, it can seem that everything is so instant. If you have a problem, ‘google’ the solution and someone will deliver it within an hour. Just launch a marketing campaign on social media and your sales will leap forward in a jiffy. Simple, eh!

The reality is frequently otherwise. CEOs and decision makers are inundated with so much info that it is hard for them to reach a conclusion and then also act on them with authority.

And this is where the business coach / business mentor suddenly becomes so necessary, allowing the client to see the wood for the trees.

I woke up this morning to find an unsolicited compliment on my WhatsApp feed. It was from a geek in her branch of tech, yet slightly clumsy when it comes to interpersonal relations. I am enhancing her reach to create a social media strategy, plugging her achievements in Jerusalem and in Europe. The initial bait was a conference in the USA. Her blogs have called on interested parties to DM her. And guess what? They have done so!

Then this afternoon, an upcoming food distributor just blurted out in the the middle of our zoom conversation how I “have really helped” him to grow his business.

Pardon the messages of self-congratulation.

What I am saying is that business mentors, by asking and the right questions and by challenging the seemingly obvious – can boast sales just as much as a 60 second glance on Google. Contact me to learn how.

An item on an edition of the Financial Times podcast this week indicated that currencies of smaller economies are weakening daily, particularly against the dollar.

There are many reasons for this. They include the relatively sharp rise in interest rates in the USA, who will be hit hardest by the fallout from the Ukrainian mess, and the continuing impact of 2 years of covid. Each country will have its own idiosyncrasies. Meanwhile, let’s have a look at the position of the Israeli shekel.

Overall, despite new domestic political shenanigan’s and the threat of Palestinian violence, the Israeli economy is doing well. The Treasury is having a windfall with a whopping budget surplus, unemployment will struggle to go any lower and the world of high-tech bubbles along. And just at the right time for Europe, new gas reserves have been discovered in Israeli territorial waters.

Earlier this week, the financial newspaper “Globes” reported that the Israeli shekel is valued at its lowest for 20 months against the dollar. Again, there are many causes for this – international stock market uncertainties, et al. But let’s not forget that following on from the turmoil at the end of the Trump administration, the shekel was only recently considered the darling of world currencies.

Where next?

In the past, the Bank of Israel has always ensured that its rate of interest remained competitive when looking over its shoulder to what the Fed does. That difference looks as if it might be partially eroded in the near future. That implies that the shekel has further to decline.

A client of mine has to create a new pricing strategy for exports around the globe, looking at setting prices for up to a year ahead. As his business mentor, what did I think?

Given the various geopolitical uncertainties that look as if they will linger and impact for months to come (at least) and given the political uncertainty in Israel, I said that he had two options. Either add in a large safety factor and totally overcharge from the getgo. Alternatively, he should refuse to commit to prices beyond the next three months.

Those running the economy in Jerusalem may have some reserves compared to their counterparts in the OECD, but that extra rope is still limited. Tricky times ahead.

Israel and Hamas are fighting another 10 day or so duel.

It is evident that militarily, Hamas has been crushed. The money pleaded out of the international community to counter the poverty in Gaza was directed to fund miles of underground military tunnels and also 14,000 rockets directed at civilians. Their potency has been heavily damaged.

Politically, Hamas has strengthened itself amongst the Israeli Arab community and in the West Bank, at the direct expense of the antiquated oligarchy of the Palestinian Authority (PA). And these could be the more dominant factors emerging from this latest agony.

As a sidebar, it is worth mentioning that both the PA and Hamas leaders are now vastly wealthy individuals. However, while the former strive for an independent state, the latter in Gaza look to set up a Caliphate, stretching into Syria and beyond.

Meanwhile, from southern Gaza to northern Israel, people are trying to earn some money.

We know that the Israeli economy is at a crossroads. Despite the hopes of Netanyahu’s led Ministry of Finance, the impact of the lockdown in the first quarter of 2021 was very more disasterous than anticipated. GDP dropped 6.5% at an annualised rate. Yet in the same period, Israeli start-ups raised a staggering US$5.4 billion.

What will happen as a result of the fighting? I suspect that the answer is nothing too serious. Why?

The Palestinian economy is smaller by definition. There are sections that were doing very well until the corona epidemic.

  • The number of nights spent by tourists doubled to two million during the decade to the end of 2019.
  • Unemployment in the Ramallah area is about 10%, (compared to about 40% in Gaza).
  • There are growing numbers of people that have studied at university and are entering hightech. Some have found a way into Israeli companies. Others are creating a local eco-system.

What could put an end to this cautious yet steady growth, particularly in the West Bank?

Critics of Israel be warned, because the answer does not hide in the policies of whatever government is to be formed in Jerusalem. Israelis have a direct interest in this progress. Not just because it cements peace, but he process opens up new markets – services, goods, and trained workers.

So, go back to what I wrote earlier. Up to now, Hamas has not been allowed to set a foot into the West Bank. In May 2021, as Mohammed Abbas slides into his mid 80s and as the Israeli Prime Minister invests all his spare time in saving his political legacy, Hamas has found a new legitimacy for itself in the West Bank.

Those are the background factors which allowed this tragic fighting to flare up again. And that is why the hope for additional Palestinian prosperity is under threat.

For decades, Arabs boycotted Israel, at least on paper. They encouraged companies like Pepsi or Asian car manufacturers to do the same.

And today? Well, I challenge you to name me one large automobile outfit that is not present in Israel with an r&d centre. Did you know that participation requests were received from 22 Arab countries to attend the Our Crowd Investment Summit in Jerusalem two weeks ago?

Why continue to ask for a boycott? On behalf of the Palestinians or the Israeli Arabs? Have a look at these news items from this month.

Start off with J.P. Morgan, which is beginning to expand its presence in the Holy Land on a very prominent scale. Their head of tech in Israel, Dr. Yoav Intrator, observed that:

……we have set a target of increasing the diversity of the human element in the center’s work teams. We have already begun taking steps to achieve this target, both by including women in our teams and by including Arab staff, mainly Israeli Arabs. I think that the lack of diversity in this area is one of the main problems in the Israeli economy, and there is potential for redressing the situation. For example, there is currently a high proportion of Arab women among engineering and computer science students at universities in Israel.

Similarly, Bank Hapoalim is heavily involved in the development of the Arab incubator in Nazareth.

However, most striking for me is the news that “Israel and the Palestinian Authority appeared to have come to an agreement to end a major trade dispute in which both sides placed sweeping restrictions on some of each other’s goods.”

It appears that:

Palestinians exported around $100 million in agricultural products in 2018, including dates and olive oil. About half went to Israel while the rest was sent to other countries, according Abu Laban. In contrast, Palestinians imported approximately $300 million in agricultural goods from Israel in 2018.

Imagine how that can figure can grow. And we all know that trade usually improves bilateral relations between sides. Why boycott in the first place?

And why continue to advocate for a boycott when the people on the ground – those involved – clearly do not advocate for it?

UNRWA was set up in 1949 to help Palestinian refugees. Today, it has an annual budget of around one billion dollars. And, special programmes or campaigns can see similar additional amounts raised from donor countries, via their taxpayers.

UNRWA is a nebulous body. It uses the UN initials, but does not seem to come under UN auspices or jurisdiction. Last year, President Trump suspended American funding and Washington was the largest donor. In recent months, four other countries have followed suit. Even New Zealand, no friend of the Israeli government, is withholding support.

UNRWA’s history has been unusual. It is nearly 15 years ago, when one commentator observed that:

Despite over 50 years of experience and employing around 25,000 local Palestinians, UNRWA simply does not do its job effectively. A recent World Bank report on the Palestinian territories noted that “55% of those who receive emergency assistance are not needy… 32% of the needy do not receive emergency assistance.” If UNRWA’s money does not help solve Palestinian poverty, then who are the true beneficiaries of its lavish funds?……..

Most Palestinians in Jordan have resolved their economic issues without UNRWA. The 1997 report from the Norwegian Fafo Institute for Applied International Studies compared the situation of the 13% of Palestinian Arabs in the Hashemite Kingdom who were being catered to by UNRWA to the remaining 87%. It concluded that the Palestinian Arabs cared for by UNRWA continued to live in destitution, while the others maintained a similar economic level to their fellow non-Palestinian Jordanian citizens.

The Norwegian Refugee Council has invested much resources into the Palestinian issue. That said, it has just published a report, which concludes: –

Today, 25 August 2019, marks the two-year anniversary of the start of the largest ever stream of refugees out of Myanmar….. Since 25 August 2017, around 740,000 Rohingya have fled Myanmar to Bangladesh. More than 630,000 are living in Kutupalong, the world’s largest refugee camp.

I am prepared to bet that these wretched people do not receive even 50% per capita of what the Palestinians do. And what does reach them is carefully accounted for.

Meanwhile, the UN is allowing a Palestinian oligarchy to support itself, at the expense of unknown taxpayers and to the detriment of other needy causes. What conclusions would you draw?

Postscript: I just checked the UNRWA website. I could not find budget figures for post 2017.

One of the core arguments of the British “Leave Europe Campaign” is that the EU is one big amorphous bureaucracy. For example, accountability and transparency are words that rarely find their way into the diplomatic nous. Nowhere has this been more true than the issue of paying out money to the Palestinians.

Back in the early 1980s, the EU took a deliberate decision to match the USA aid for Israel (and Egypt). The Palestinians needed support. Within two decades, the World Bank had declared that the Palestinians were receiving more aid per capita than any other target population, including Tsunami victims.

Not only was much of this cash was coming from generous EU taxpayers. Analyses of the Palestinian Authority’s budget had revealed that the PA was failing to raise taxes by any significant amount. And what did enter the coffers of the Treasury in Ramalalh was often disbursed to the families of those imprisoned in Israel on terror charges, to the security forces fighting Israel, or simply to the families of the leading leaders of the PA and Hamas.

Nothing new there?

In 2016, the British public informed Brussels what it thought of its policies. Somewhere in that message was the whole theme of vast sums disappearing into black holes to fund the favourite political campaigns of the few. And this included the politically correct issue of helping the Palestinians. For example:

The EU is the largest contributor to UNRWA. Together with the EU Member States, the EU’s contribution for 2016, 2017 and 2018 amounted to €1.2 billion……EU support to the Palestinians covers a wide range of areas, including humanitarian assistance, capacity building, democratic governance and socio-economic development. In 2018, it amounted to a total of nearly €350 million. The funding is framed by the “European Joint Strategy in Support of Palestine 2017-2020” agreed by the EU Institutions, 22 EU Member States, as well as Norway and Switzerland.

Add in the money for support to various NGOs. Then season that off with contributions by individual governments for pet projects. That €1.2 billion has easily doubled!

For years, pro-Israel pressure groups screamed. One of the initial campaigners was Arnold Roth, whose daughter was murdered by a Palestinian called Tamimi, whose family find support in the actions of the EU. The Palestinians do deserve a better life, but make sure that you now where the money is going. As for UNRWA, who is supervising this amorphous multi billion body, employing 30,000 people and which has yet to resettle even one Palestinian in over seven decades?

Last week, by some ironic coincidence, the extent of the gross misuse of funds for the Palestinians leaked out in two separate news items.

First, The United Kingdom’s Information Commissioner Elizabeth Denham has ordered the Department for International Development (DFID) to disclose audit reports of accounts into which British grant money was transferred and allegedly used to pay salaries to convicted Palestinian terrorists.

Why? It has emerged that:

a) In the period 2008 to 2015, Britain gave grant aid to the PA’s Central Treasury totaling £430.5 million (NIS 1.85 m.), via the World Bank. The aid was untied and not earmarked for a specific project.…..
b) PA pays more than 8% of its total budget through its Central Treasury to fund salaries for convicted terrorists, which serve to reward and encourage terrorism. As such, it is possible that some of the funds provided by the UK were used to pay these salaries.

Ooops!

Awkward piece of news no’ 2 is that it leaked out that UNRWA has not just failed to deliver on its remit. It has been cited for corruption, nepotism and sexual abuse. At least for now, Switzerland and the Netherlands have ceased funding.

Double that ooops!

Meanwhile, as ever, only Qatar is propping up the finances of the PA. Quelle Surprise! Yet again the government of President Abbas has run out of money! It is even turning to cryptocurrencies for help.

So after nearly four decades of positive intervention, what have the European taxpayers got for their buck – or should I say Euro – regarding the Palestinians? And we are talking about billions of Euros that could have gone to Greece or Spain or internal structural projects or ….you name it.

It is difficult to argue for anything positive. There again, questions abound.

  • If billions had been allocated to any other project without a net social gain, would there have been such a placid response by the EU bureaucrats or its politicians?
  • Why is it that the EU has consistently rejected the classic Israeli argument for a new approach to helping Palestinian society? What are they not telling us?
  • And on this basis, can anyone really blame the UK for bolting the EU? The taxpayers deserve better, and so do the Palestinians.

So here’s the deal.

Trump says to the Palestinians: “I will get you peace and a homeland. The route starts at a conference in Bahrain, where I will deliver to you a US$50 billion economic package.”

President Abbas – in his mid 80s, last elected nearly 20 years ago and now for funding the Munich athletes massacre – responds with a ‘no way’. In fact, he even arrests a businessman from Hebron, who attended in a private capacity.

It is not clear what will be the outcome of the conference, where neither the Israeli nor the Palestinian governments were in attendance. Israel scored a few cheap PR points by claiming it was prepared to go along with the concept. However, with more elections coming up in Israel and also the midterms in the USA, further progress will probably be limited for the next few months.

And yet, Israel seemingly does get quite a bit out of ‘these silent changes’.

First, we know that the Bahrainis welcomed Israel pretty openly. Interviews were awarded to journalists from the Holy Land. An isolated moment? No, because second, Israel’s Foreign Minister, Yisrael Katz, popped up at a conference on climate in the United Arab Emirates.

Do not kid yourselves! Trade between Israel and the Arab block is taking another move forward. There are no official numbers, but they must be in the billions, bilaterally. So much for BDS.

And as for the conference itself? I do not believe that individual Israelis sat around politely and interested parties from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, UAE, et al also sat around politely without talking to each other and without discussing some numbers. The Palestinian issue may hold back full disclosure between the parties but their are rumours of tech deals and more.

A shame for all nations and their economies that President Abbas prefers antagonism and hatred to some definitive initial steps towards mutual recognition.

 

 

Israel has its detractors in Europe. For decades, car manufacturers would not sell to the Holy Land. Today, the leader of Britain’s main opposition party, Jeremy Corbyn, cannot mention the word Israel, except in a manner that challenges the right of the country to exist.

The question remains. Can Europe do without Israel?

Israel…….. (has) around 1 startup for every 1,400 people. Some of these startups have gone on to be high-profile exits — Waze, which sold to Google for $1.3 billion, and recently Mobileye to Intel for $15.3 billion, among many, many others – (technologies used by hundreds of millions of Europeans daily). Just for comparison, France has .112 startups for every 1,400 people. Germany has .056 startups for every 1,400 people, and the UK has .21 startups for every 1,400 people.

I just read today that the “European Union has awarded 742 Million Euro to 1,062 Israeli Scientific Research Projects”. That must be a reason for that.

Now those same detractors of Israel may object to this use of taxpayers money. At least it is being handed out in a transparent and accountable manner, as opposed to the billions available for the Palestinians. At the same time, it is money that eventually benefits peoples of all kinds, across national divides.

I recommend that you read the press release in full.

The EU Delegation to Israel, together with the Israel-Europe Research and Innovation Directorate (ISERD) and the Israel Innovation Authority, celebrated scientific cooperation under the Horizon 2020 program with an awards ceremony on June 4th at the Peres Center for Research and Innovation in Jaffa. Awards were presented to 423 Israeli companies and researchers that won Horizon 2020 grants in 2018. Grants totaling over 742 Million Euro have been awarded to 1,062 Israeli projects since the beginning of the program through the end of 2018.

The Horizon 2020 program is the largest research and innovation program in the world, amounting to approximately 80 Billion Euro over seven years.

International cooperation in research and innovation is a strategic priority for the EU. It allows for tackling global societal challenges more effectively, creates business opportunities, and makes scientific diplomacy a driving force for the external policy of Europe.

Israel has been a partner in the EU’s research and innovation framework programs since 1996 and was the first non-European country to join it. Over the years, the EU-Israel partnership has strengthened Israeli academic and industrial excellence, led to investments in research infrastructure, and enabled long-term, innovative research

The program has enabled Israeli companies, researchers, and innovators to gain access to European partners, to integrate into an extensive infrastructure of European research, and participate in flagship projects in the fields of quantum technologies, graphene and brain research. The European Research Council (ERC), which is part of Horizon 2020, supports ground-breaking research at the frontiers of human endeavour. Israeli researchers have been extremely successful in the ERC programme and Israeli universities and research institutes can be found among the top 10 organisations, worldwide, hosting ERC grantees.

EU Ambassador to Israel Emanuele Giaufret said: “Every year, we celebrate EU-Israeli collaboration in research and innovation and honor the Israeli winners in the EU’s research and innovation program, Horizon 2020. We hosted a ‘plastic-free’ ceremony and event to show support for a critical area where the EU has taken on global leadership. Policies promoting sustainability of the planet for future generations need to be supported with technologies, research, and innovative solutions, where EU-Israel cooperation can play a key role.”

Dr. Ami Appelbaum, Chief Scientist at the Israel Ministry of Economy and Industry, Chairman of the Israel Innovation Authority, and Chairman of ISERD’s Steering Committee noted that: “The prestigious European Framework Program enables industry and academia in Israel to compete in the world of excellence and innovation. The average success rate for eligible applicants is only about 14%, so winning a grant in the program is a sign of quality and excellence for both researchers and companies. The European Framework Program allows for individual proposals and combined proposals with European partners, opening the door for research and business cooperation with European entities beyond the significant funding they already receive.”

Nili Shalev, Director General of ISERD, added: “The European Framework Program provides companies and researchers with numerous advantages besides the generous funding grants. It elevates the quality of research, enables recruitment of high-quality workers, provides investment in advanced equipment, and facilitates work at international standards. The grant enables companies to cut the time it takes to go to market and enables interaction with many potential customers. The program places participants at the forefront of global research on issues of environmental and social importance. The program offers a wide range of opportunities and benefits, and we are calling on all interested parties to contact the ISERD director, who serves as a gateway to the program.”

Projects and research that received funding in 2018 include:

Israeli company Vectorious received funding via the European SME Instrument Phase II program in early 2018 to conduct clinical trials and continue developing its V-LAP product – a miniature wireless heart implant that monitors heart function, accurately measures left atrial pressure (LAP), and sends all data directly to the HMO or the hospital where the patient is receiving treatment. For the first time, physicians can make informed decisions and provide their patients with better treatment based on real-time clinical data.

Optima Design Automation from Nazareth was granted approximately 2.5 Million Euro to continue development and scale-up of its innovative product: a software platform for chip manufacturers designed to ensure functional safety of chips used in autonomous cars.

A joint project of the Agricultural Research Organization (ARO) – Volcani Center and the company Fluence for a decision support-based approach for sustainable water reuse applications in agricultural production (DSWAP) that aims to find holistic solutions for wastewater irrigation that ensures environmental safety and health with minimal energy investment. This project included research groups from Israel, Germany, Cyprus, Spain, France, Italy, and Portugal.

Triox Nano from Jerusalem won a 2 Million Euro grant to continue development of its new drug delivery platform SMARTIOX, which combines material and DNA techniques to provide breast cancer treatment for women by injecting the active ingredient used in chemotherapy directly into the tumor area alone. This platform could be applied to other disease treatments as well in the future.

The PlaMOS project, led by Mellanox and IBM’s Haifa Lab, is developing a powerful integrative platform that allows an eight-fold increase in the speed of optical transmitters and receivers used in datacenters. PlaMOS relies on small-scale wafer integration of novel ferroelectric-based plasmonic-photonic modulators, silicon germanium photodetectors, and BiCMOS electronics combined in a super-fast, micrometer-scale optical engine capable of transmitting and receiving data at the world’s fastest speed of 200 Gbit/s per optical channel.

The unnamed Lieutenant-Colonel from the Israeli intelligence forces said that they cried, when his team realised that they had identified the body of Zechariah Baumol. Somehow, after 37 years, the Israeli army had tracked down his place of burial. With the help of Russian President Putin and a third country, the reserve soldier, killed in Lebanon, had been brought out of Syria and was laid to rest in Jerusalem.

April 2019 is a horrendously divisive time in Israel’s history. The general election campaign has taken few hostages. Somehow, the story of this first sergeant, wrapped in the humility of his mother, sister and other family members, has humbled the nation. Prime Minister Netanyahu called his ‘return home’ as one of the most emotional episodes in his reign at the top.

In a sense, for a few hours, campaigning ‘seemed’ to be thrown to the gutter, along with all the useless flyers and interfering WhatsApp messages. The failing health of the President’s wife, Ruhama Rivlin, has also struck a cord of unity, even if the President himself had been insulted earlier in the week by the Prime Minister.

However, to my amazement, the other picture that has caught my attention was in today’s edition of the Ha’aretz newspaper, known for its vocal support of Palestinian rights. On page 24, we see a full picture. The caption describes Palestinians running away from gas canisters launched by the Israeli army, presumably at a demonstration near the border with Gaza. In the foreground, are seven children and one adult. Sad, no?

Now remember, for the first time in years, the Palestinian issue is very much off the front pages in this election. What is really sad for me is that the picture has a misleading attribution. Over 20 other people in the background are just loitering about – no tear gas is bothering them. No child is wiping their eyes.

And then you have to ask. Who takes under age children to a demonstration, especially when violence is a probability,…..and why?

Take a step back. In 2010, the Arab League set up a special fund for donations to be funneled to the Hamas-run Gaza Strip. Currently, the World Bank estimates the GDP of Gaza at 1% of that of Israel. What has gone wrong?

Egypt’s border closure back in 2012 has had a major impact. Hamas determination to invest in military aggression against Israel – 1,000 rockets fired in 2018 alone – has diverted resources. In the past year, President Abbas has cut off funding from his Hamas enemies.

More pertinent is the question what happened to that money from the Arab League? At the end of 2014 and the latest major fighting with Israel, US$4 billion was promised. In the following two years, about US$1.8 billion turned up. New suburbs were created. Water systems were installed.

But, then the donors assessed the level of graft by Hamas officialdom. According to the World Bank, the money flows faltered to US30 million monthly in 2017 and a paltry US$4 million last year. Combine that with Abbas cutting 30% and then 50% of the annual US$1.5 billion allocation, which he was supposed deliver, and then you can begin to wonder.

The stats continue. The standard of living in Gaza dropped by 10% in 2018. It is 140% higher in the West Bank, as ruled by the Palestinian Authority of Hamas.

The fundamentalist and intransigent, terrorist government of Hamas was propped up by Arab friends for years. It is currently funded by suitcases (literally) of dollars from Qatar. Weapon systems, originating from Iran, are still smuggled in.

Whatever the outcome of the Israeli election, the internecine Arab hatred will continue. It is sad. It is tragic, but it is not Israel’s fault. Whether Netanyahu wins or not, the upshot of the economics of Gaza will see the adult population continuing to send their kids to the front line. Sickening.

Israel is where Western countries send delegations to learn how to copy the success of the start up nation. Just this week, it was announced that Mellanox exited for a mere US$6.9 billion. Who’s next?

And yet there are those who are questioning if the proverbial bubble has burst for the Israeli economy. The fiscal deficit is climbing. The general election on April 9th and is likely to result in further political instability. Can the economic triumphs of the past decade be repeated?

Palestinians benefit from a resilient Israeli economy. Legally or otherwise, over 100,000 labourers find employment daily via their neighbours. If they gainfully registered they receive full social benefits, which barely exist in the territories. That said, since the Oslo Accords, both in the West Bank and particularly in Gaza, the Palestinian economy has shrunk.

Yes, there was a positive blip at the end of the 1990s – 15% improvement for two consecutive years. However, Chairman Arafat’s decision to launch the Intifada killed that off, as well as others.

The West Bank has historically been the stronger of the two districts. According to an analysis by Doron Peskin, unemployment has risen slightly over the past two years to almost 18%. Arguably of more concern is that economic growth has shrunk by almost 50% to about 2.7% annually. The data for Gaza is far more depressing.

What is important to note about these numbers is that natural population growth is higher than 3%. President Abbas is ill and is seen increasingly as less able to command respect. And we have observed that the Israeli economy may be weakening, and thus less able to take up some of the slack.

Next stop? I am not sure. However, just before Hamas launched two rockets at Tel Aviv last night, there had been a massive demonstration in Gaza. The populace were revolting at the high cost of living. At the same time, the shops in the better off suburbs still appear to be remarkably busy.

I suggest that there is a lesson here. The Palestinian leadership should learn from their Western colleagues, listening to Israelis about how create wealth rather than seeking to destroy hope.

It may be a tad British, but I am currently enjoying a fascinating podcast about leadership. Interviewing a former England cricket captain, the key feature is how you can take an average team – in sport, commerce or a social group – and mobilise it into something sensational.

In terms of the Palestinian issue, much has been discussed recently about how President Abbas has just started his 15 year of his term in office, when he was only elected for four years. It is too easy to be cynical. Just how much of a motivator is he?

However, as if to add to the challenge, this week Abbas demanded the dissolution of the Palestinian Parliament.

The reason?

Abbas is recognizing that at 83 years old he must consider what will happen the day he leaves office. Under PA (Palestinian Authority) law should the president leave office without a successor, the Speaker of the Parliament takes over as President of the Palestinian Authority for two months after which presidential elections are held. The current Speaker of the Palestinian Parliament is Aziz Al-Dweik from Hamas.

And let us recall that Hamas threw the PA out of Gaza in a most violent manner, and is challenging its position in the West Bank.

The above synopsis sparked a series of comments from a financial analyst, David Frankfurter. He observed:

I wonder if these members of the parliament that did not meet are to continue receiving a salary, benefits, electoral assistants and other financial assitance? How much did it add up to? This could be another element of side effects of the US withdrawing financial support to the PA.

If so, it would be a signpost to the Europeans on how to introduce efficiency to the aid they keep flowing. It is yet another indicator to the European taxpayer as to what a wasteful manner their elected representatives and finance ministries use their taxes on misdirected foreign aid.

Worth a thought. Maybe write to your rep and ask them?

Palestinians should be allowed to improve their economy without worrying about whether they will give up on their national cause.

Thus wrote Jason Greenblatt, Trump’s special representative for international negotiations, on the Ma’an News Agency website of the Palestinians.

He is correct. Whatever side of the seemingly intractable Palestinian – Israeli argument you may be on, the economies of Gaza and Ramallah seem unsustainable. And whatever the true numbers, unemployment is super high, productivity continues to find new levels to sink towards, while overseas aid is petering off.

Reliable figures for the financial activity of the Palestinian government have been hard to obtain for many years. The reasons vary. Recently, former Israeli military intelligence officer, Yossi Kuperwasser set out an analysis of the 2018 budget. The key points are: –

  1. The total budget is about US$5 billion dollars.
  2. Around 15% or US$775 million is supported by overseas aid, including the taxpayers of Western countries.
  3. US$155 million is allocated to aiding prisoners and / or their families in Israeli jails, assumedly for charges relating to terror incidents.
  4. And: The P.A. budget for supporting the families of “martyrs” and the wounded is $185 million. This sum is used to make sure that 24,000 families of “martyrs” and wounded who reside inside the “homeland” get a monthly allowance, 13,500 such families who reside outside the “homeland” get a monthly allowance, 375 families get special monetary assistance, 28,000 families get health insurance, and monthly allowances are paid to the victims of the 2014 conflict in Gaza. 

Earlier this week, Saleh Barghouti calmly drove past a crowd of Israelis at a bus stop and  mowed them down. Of the seven wounded, one was a woman in her seventh month of pregnancy. The baby was delivered in hospital, but was immediately diagnosed with difficulties, resulting from both the shooting and its premature arrival.

Last night, 4 days old and with barely enough time to name him as Amiad Yisrael, the child was buried. In the picture below, the infant is seen wrapped in a prayer shawl. The man looks petrified that the body in his hands is so small and light that it may fall.

Image result for picture of funeral of Amiad israel

Of all the terrible stories of terror from around the world – Manchester, Boston, Bali et al – this is truly the saddest picture that I have ever seen. I saw it and froze.

As for the other parties to this story, it appears that Amiad’s mother is beginning to recover from her serious wounds. Meanwhile, Barghouti was shot dead by Israeli forces while resisting arrest. However, as per the strictures of the Palestinian budget approved by President Abbas, Barghouti’s family is set to become the financial beneficiaries from his heinous crime.

One postscript for Abbas, who this week celebrated his 15th year in his position, originally democratically elected for just four years: Earlier today, a couple of miles from where Barghouti struck, two other Israelis were slain. Clearly, this will place a further demand on the Palestinian budget, leading to additional calls for aid from European treasuries.

Eight days have passed since a Palestinian kidnapped, handcuffed and shot two Israelis in a factory in the industrial zone of Barkan in the heart of the West Bank.

A few days later, this form of ‘self-defense” was justified by yet another resolution from the British Labour Party, this time emanating from the area of Brighton. Personally, I find this form of argument repugnant. It is barely discourse. Rather, it represents a set of statements based on hatred, whose design is the very opposite of peaceful coexistence.

I am not going to argue that the relations between most Jews and most Arab in the West Bank is like a rose garden on a summer’s day with birds twittering in the background. However, Israel’s weekend newspaper cobbled together some facts that are worth copying here and analyzing.

There are about 100,000 Palestinians working in Israel on a daily basis, and roughly 2/3 have a license to do so. Another 30,000 work in places like the Barkan area. If the average monthly wage in the Palestinian territories is around 2,500 nis, a typical Palestinian will bring home about 6,500 nis (about US$1,800) from an Israeli employer.  Of the 8,000 or so workers in the Barkan district, about 3,500 are Palestinians with a license.

Let us be clear. Since 2010, the Palestinian Authority, which controls the West Bank, has officially banned its followers to work for Jewish enterprises. These are the same companies that by Israeli law have to pay the Palestinians full social security contributions, which are negligent under Ramallah law.

In some factories, Palestinians do climb up the tree of management, although rarely to senior levels. That said, incidents of murder or lesser violence have barely been reported since the industrial zone was established 36 years ago.

The BDS movement, prominently supported by much of the Labour Party, would put an end to this creation of mutual wealth and trust. In other words, the Israelis should be boycotted and sent packing. In their place would be……….well, I suppose fewer Palestinians, earning less than half their previous wages, and without the social benefits that a Labour Party demands for its own membership in the UK.

I suppose this is where hatred is so valuable, as it is required to help to cover up the malignant contradictions of the BDS thought process. And in the meantime, the local authorities are constantly preparing more space for factories in the West Bank, which looks to be an economic win-win policy for all parties, who care.

 

 

 

 

Tonight, Tuesday 18th September 2018, the fast of Yom Kippur will commence. Known in English as the day of Atonement, Israel shuts down. You will not see cars on the road. Businesses are closed. Restaurants are shut. Complete tranquility, as the country – at least traditional and observant Jews – dedicate themselves to prayer.

(To put the biblical instruction in terms of 2018, millions learn how to put aside Whattsapp for 25 hours).

Sunday morning, roughly 48 hours previous to my writing this text, Rabbi Ari Fuld was out shopping near the town of Efrat, located between Bethlehem and Hebron. Many around the world know this region as the West Bank (of the Jordan River).

Fuld was stabbed in the back by a 16 year old, Khalil Yusef Ali Jabarin, from a village south of Hebron. There is a video of Fuld trying to chase the youth and taking a shot at him, before collapsing. I know the medic who tried to treat Fuld on the spot. He described to me the gapping hole in the rabbi’s back. He was declared dead shortly after arrival at the hospital.

The youth was remanded in an Israeli hospital, where he was treated for a mild flesh wound to his hand. His initial “court appearance” was conducted around his bed. The Palestinian Authority (PA) will pay his family about US$400 every month for three years. As the Palestinian ambassador to the UK effectively admitted on a talk-in last week, such funds are available due to the generosity and financial support from European and other governments towards the PA.

The supporters of the Palestinian cause have blasted social media with the argument that Fuld was an armed settler, and thus he was a legitimate target. I suppose the logic of that argument is that if you disagree with somebody’s politics, you can slay them in cold blood.

I guess that mix of hatred justifies 9/11 in the USA, 7/7 in London, Spanish train bombings et al. It is noticeable the many of the proponents of such views hang out with anti-semites. They imply that Jews are a fifth column in their country of living. More hatred, which is rarely found in societies looking to cerate individual growth and development.

What would such people say if a dear and beloved one was randomly slain in the name of a political movement? Would that also become acceptable?

As for the victim, I saw a post from a friend of mine, David Olesker.

In the last week a righteous man, whose public works are known to many, was murdered. Our Sages say that the death of the righteous (especially those who die sanctifying G-d’s name) is an atonement for the generation.
I can’t help but feel that, despite the countless merits of the acts Ari Fuld did in public, his true righteousness probably lay in his private life, known to his family and those closest to him. There are doubtless others, who are not known to the wider world, who stand beside him today, before the Throne of Mercy, where they will plead for their people on the day when we are all judged.
These advocates will not make us ashamed, let us not make them ashamed!

The scenery at this time of year in Israel is exquisite. On the Day of Atonement, Jews pray to be sealed in the Book of Life. I wish everyone – yes, everyone – a healthy, prosperous year ahead. It should be a year full of self-fulfillment and mutual opportunities.

The clashes on the Israel-Gaza border fence came to a head 2 weeks ago. At the cost of 60 lives, the leadership of Hamas secured an international PR triumph, while Israel ensured that no violent protesters were left free to attack townships nearby.

But what did the average Palestinian obtain out of his violence? After all, since the protests began on 30th March, about 120 people have been killed. According to Amira Hass in Ha’aretz, who is known for excellent contacts in the Palestinian territories, 42 were members of Hamas. A further 20 or so belong to another terrorist organization, Izz ad-Din al-Qassam brigades. Why the 58 remaining citizens were not prevented from going into a war zone is beyond me.

It is well established that the economic situation in Gaza is simply dire. In fact, one person was recently filmed committing suicide, possibly due to financial distress. The World Bank’s latest report details: –

  • 44% unemployment.
  • A drop in real wages by 27% since Hamas seized power from the Palestinian Authority a decade ago.
  • At least a third of the population survives below the poverty line.
  • Most of the water is unfit for drinking, while there are frequent power cuts.
  • And so the list goes on.

How much would it take to fix all this? According to an item in Yediot Ahronot newspaper, US$1.3 billion alone is required to clear up the water system. And relaxing border regulations with Egypt and Israel would contribute and additional 11% to the GDP – although for now this is unlikely, because the main export from Gaza is terror.

In parallel, there still appears to be enough resources available to invest in the continuous improvement of Hamas’ offensive capabilities, despite the freeze in wages.

Now pause for a moment. While people were dying in Gaza, what was the situation in the West Bank? Troubles and protests? Yes, but to a very limited extent.

Let me explain the difference, by looking forward to an event, which is due to take place in Jerusalem in May 2019. That is when Israel is expected to host the Eurovision Song Contest. Amongst the significant logistical demands that such a show creates, the host city will be flooded with thousands of additional tourists and also members of the numerous TV crews.

Jerusalem only has about 9,000 hotel beds. Capacity is normally high in May in an average year. Thus, other cities will be called into help to take up the slack, and that list will probably include Bethlehem and its 1,000 bed capacity. In other words, Israel can share part of this economic bonanza with the Palestinians, who are hardly likely to boycott this cultural cooperation.

Can you imagine Hamas accepting such cooperation and an influx of capital? In doing so, it would have to give up on its policy of violence.

 

On the surface, it is that time of year when the Israelis and Palestinians are about to strike up another round in their war of rhetoric. Tomorrow, residents of Gaza are threatening to march on the border fence with Israel. The week has already witnessed a series of illicit border crossings.

And meanwhile, the USA is ready to impose financial sanctions on the Palestinian Authority if it continues to use its budget to support convicted terrorists in Israeli prisons. Sweet news for Israelis, who have been campaigning on this issue for nearly two decades, to the understandable disgust of their opponents.

So, the summer Mediterranean heat is nearly upon us. The politicians are becoming more agitated. The peace process is looking more and more like a stagnant pond.

And yet………

Just over a month ago, the Israeli Minister of Finance, Moshe Kahlon, paid a visit to Ramallah. Press reports indicate that this was his third meeting since June 2017 with the Palestinian Prime Minister, and the next one is planned to take place in Jerusalem. Evidently both Abbas and Netanyahu are fully aware of all the details.

What has been on the agenda?

  1. Setting up a joint industrial zone near Modi’in Illit. Not solely designed for Palestinians, it will also target finding employment for around 2,000 ultra orthodox Jews.
  2. Reaching an understanding so that the tens of thousands of Palestinian labourers in Israel receive full pension rights, which are also paid out accordingly.
  3. Further improvement of the sewage systems, as the polluted drain offs have made its way into Israel.
  4. Improvements to the Palestinian mobile phone infrastructure.

Kahlon is not the only Israeli minister who has visited the Palestinian territories. Eli Cohen, the Minister for the Economy and a colleague in the same political party, has been looking at ways to improve the road system around a Palestinian new city.

I would not leap into the air too much over these moves. However, they do show what can be accomplished when there is good will on both sides. They also reveal the level of nonsense surrounding the public rhetoric of the negotiations from both sides.

This weekend, Jews around the world celebrate the festival of Passover, when Moses led the Jewish people out of Egypt. May senior politicians of both sides find the strength and wisdom to create more such talks, rather than guide their followers towards violence along border fences.

During the month of December, the UN is expected to pass 15 resolutions condemning Israel. This is five less than in 2016, when the UNGA did find the time to tick off four other countries. Just how fair is this castigation of the modern Jewish state?

To answer the question in depth would take a book, of several volumes. So let us concentrate for three minutes on the medical sector.

In the past, I have written extensively about the Wolfson Hospital in south Tel Aviv, which hosts the Save A Child’s Heart scheme. Offering high level medical services for thousands of infants around the globe, roughly 50% have come from the Palestinian territories. For the record, the aid includes training for local doctors and hosting families of the children on site.

In the north of the country, Israel has treated a similar number of refugees from Syria since 2013. It is an operation that has no equivalent for all the world effort that has been distributed to tackle this humanitarian disaster. And it is even more remarkable considering how the two countries have no diplomatic relations.

And then there is little-known and near heroic story of Dalia Bassa. She is the health care coordination officer of the Civil Administration in the West Bank and Gaza (COGAT) , and is one of the few officials of either side to win the praises of just about everyone. Now 66 years old, Dalia has been working in this field for 47 years.

It is estimated that she is responsible for coordinating the medical attention received by around 5,000 Palestinians every year in Israeli hospitals. These are mainly life-threatening situations. Just as significant, COGAT makes strenuous efforts to ensure that Palestinian doctors are also trained. Hundreds of training sessions take place annually.

To make the point, the Israeli newspaper “Yediot Ahronot” was allowed to accompany Bassa last week on a visit to a 150-bed private hospital just outside Ramallah. 14 floors high, Istishari was opened in 2016 and has treated such notables as President Abbas. A further 850 beds are planned.

During the trip, Bassa sought to help a doctor extend his visa. She also looked for ways to extend cooperation. After all, the hospital lists several doctors who have been trained in Israeli hospitals, such as Hadassah in Jerusalem. Its PGD unit is so advanced that a few Israelis have found their way there to test the state of difficult pregnancies.

And meanwhile, this week, you can expect further condemnation of Israel at the UN. Makes sense, don’t it?

According to Emily Thornberry, the British Labour Party’s Foreign Secretary-in-waiting, Israel is not a model state for its neighbours to emulate. And her core argument is based on her judgment of Israel’s occupation of the West Bank and the Golan Heights.

Thornberry is a lawyer, possessing a strong background in human rights. So, what she says does not just sound politically correct. Clearly, she knows what she is talking about.

But I could not believe her logic was that simple. First, it makes those countries surrounding Israel less of pariah states. Strange that. Check out for yourselves on Google what Thornberry herself has said about Egypt and Saudi Arabia, to name but two. Nothing very complimentary. On the other hand, she never complains about the abuse of human rights by the Palestinian Authority or Hamas.

Second, if Israel is not her model state, then who is? I assume from the interview with her that is not referring to any members of the Arab League. I assume she is not referring neither to China nor to Russia. Obviously, she detests the policies of America under Trump. And she is so critical of her own government, that she has effectively ruled out the UK.

In other words, she does not have a model country in mind. Her statement is purely designed to denigrate the state of Israel, the sole democracy in the Middle East. What we are left with is a politically correct stance that is acutely ridden with poison. Next she will be asking us to believe that her leader, Jeremy Corbyn, is a Zionist, when the man cannot even utter the word “Israel” in a civil manner.

I am reminded that last year at Cambridge University, a motion was debated suggesting that Israel is a rogue state. The pro Israel supporters encouraged the audience to vote ‘yes’ on the grounds that Israel is so different – ie so much better – than its neighbours that it is obviously rogue. For example, according to Freedom House, Israel is the only country int the Middle East that is ranked as “free”.

I will leave you with a taste of Israel and how its Arab citizens view their country. I hope this will allow you to assess for yourselves if it is a model for democracy. (My thanks to bloggers Ellis Simpson and IsraellyCool).

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