Israel Active

Better Place Israel has announced the commercial launch of its Renault Fluence all-electric vehicles. It includes a low-usage package for about $150 per month. Now how do I persuade my wife that I need one?

In a speech at Haifa University, European Commission President José Manuel Barroso singled out cooperation in education, research and innovation as "one of the biggest achievements of our partnership". Israel is currently participating in over 800 EU funded projects.

(Thanks to Israel21c) A kibbutz fish farm with a kosher license is producing Russian caviar for the non-Jewish market. The export of caviar from endangered Caspian and Black Sea sturgeon was banned in 2006. At $107 for a 28gram tin, Kibbutz Dan exports over 4 tons of caviar to the USA, France, Germany, Switzerland, Japan, Singapore and Australia.

Campaigners to boycott Israel have exposed the “scandal” on the Arab media site Alakhbar. Israeli products include those from Syneron, Lumenis, Alma and Invasix. The EoZ site highlights that these products also remove disfigurations on children, and Lebanon uses many Israeli medicines and life-saving treatments. So they are “cutting off their nose to spite their face”. (English idiom)

The Israeli government has increased the Science and Technology Ministry’s budget for its regional research and development centres by NIS 9 million. Funding has tripled for the eight centres in the periphery, which are regarded by UNESCO as models for developing countries.

The Israeli government announced new programs totalling over $100 million to support development of fuel alternatives. The government invests $1 for every $2 by an investor, either local or international. Loans do not require repaying if the Company cannot generate revenue.

Israel-based online games developer Plarium has 70 million users, mainly in Russia and Eastern Europe. Plarium has six new games in the pipeline. It is also entering new platforms such as Facebook, mobile devices, as well as its own standalone website.

Murat Seker has written his views about Israel on the World Bank’s blog site. He concludes, “As nations seek to grow their economies and ramp up their competitiveness through innovation and entrepreneurship, Israel’s path offers many valuable lessons.”

Tel Aviv University’s Entrepreneurship Center offers a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to visit Israel's high-tech and entrepreneurship ecosystem. It includes visiting cutting edge hi- tech companies, lectures from leading entrepreneurs and of course Tel Aviv nightlife.

Israel Railways has opened the second track on the Tel Aviv-Beersheva line, cutting travel time from 90 minutes to 55 minutes. Minister of Transport Yisrael Katz said that the upgrade of the line broadens the employment and residential opportunities for residents of the Negev and the south.