Israel Active

(Thanks to Michael H) Some months I featured Israel’s Intucell, when AT&T used its technology to prevent cell-phone overload. Well Cisco couldn’t resist it and have just bought the Ra’anana-based company for $475 million. I bet that set the phones ringing!

As Jews around the world prepare to celebrate Tu Bishvat – the New Year for Trees, agriculturalists around Israel are celebrating the increasing global success of one of Israel’s most fruitful trees. Israel supplies 50% of the world’s demand for Medjool dates.

Israel Natural Gas Lines (INGL) has completed construction of a marine liquefied natural gas receiving buoy. The Submerged Turret Loading buoy will be used to deliver imported LNG until Tamar comes on-line and then will provide a backup entry point for Israel’s own natural gas.

The year-end increase in the price index was 1.6 percent, well within government target projections of 1-3%. Predictions for 2013 remain low at 1.8%. Reasons included reduced prices of fruits and vegetables, mobile phone tariffs, Internet services and preschool education.

Israel’s PointGrab and eyeSight have 95% of the market for Gesture technology - the latest feature for personal computers. The Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, revealed PointGrab’s latest deal with Samsung’s smart TVs and eyeSight’s with AMD’s new graphics chip.

From March, Israel's national carrier is to add four more weekly flights to Luton airport, plus a further five flights in June. By the summer 22 flights will operate from Tel Aviv into the London area every week. El Al also announced special flight prices and a new frequent flier lounge at Luton.

Jerusalem has been hosting a first of its kind conference focusing on hi-tech entrepreneurship, innovation and employment in Israel’s ultra-orthodox sector. Political leaders, entrepreneurs and technicians discussed government programs and effective ways of raising capital.

Israel’s Alcobra will be the first launch by an Israeli life sciences company on Nasdaq since 2010. Alcobra's MG01CI ADHD medication is undergoing a Phase II clinical trial. It is a non-stimulant treatment, which makes it safer than Ritalin and has far fewer side effects than Strattera.

(Thanks to Atid-EDI) China may be manufacturing the world’s TV flat screens, but their assembly lines need Israeli hi-tech equipment to build them. Israel’s Orbotech has just won a contract for $40 million of its latest generation automated optical inspection and array tester models.

(Thanks to Atid-EDI) Israel Chemicals will supply Chinese customers with $264 million worth of Israeli Potash during 2013. The agreement includes provision for a three-year total of 3 million tons ($1.2bn). The Potash fertilizer will help grow the crops necessary to feed China’s huge population.