Israel Active

Israel’s VoiceITT (reported previously) has enhanced its mobile speech recognition app to allow people with speech impairments to access and interact with Amazon's Alexa.  Now the disabled can control lights, aircon, TV, computers etc. without having to call for help. Great video!

Israel has opened an embassy in the United Arab Emirate of Abu Dhabi. The new Ambassador, Eitan Naeh, and his staff will "expand ties with the Emirati government, financial bodies, and the private sector, universities, the media and more.” The UAE has approved having its embassy in Tel Aviv.

In a video conference, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the heads of Austria, Australia, Norway, Denmark, Greece and the Czech Republic to work together to promote scientific research into vaccines. It would provide future pandemic protection for governments against market forces.

Israeli archeologists had a surprise when they were unearthing an 8th century CE mosque in Tiberias. They discovered the foundations of a 7th century CE mosque underneath it!  They also found coins and pottery which helped to date the older mosque – the world’s oldest to be excavated.

Israeli non-profit PresenTense (reported previously) has partnered with the British Embassy in Israel and others to launch MoveUp - an accelerator for Arab-Israeli tech entrepreneurs. 10 or 12 entrepreneurs will take part in a two-month virtual program led by Israeli and UK experts.

The number of Israeli-Arabs studying Electrical Engineering and Computer Science at Tel Aviv University’s School of Electrical Engineering has nearly doubled from 237 in 2016 to 459 in 2020. They include 150 Arab women - almost three times higher than in 2016. Small numbers but encouraging trend.

The Jerusalem College of Technology (JCT) has partnered the McLean Hospital, the largest psychiatric affiliate of Harvard Medical School. 30 Haredi 4th year JCT nursing students will be the “agents of change” to deconstruct the stigma of mental illness in Jerusalem and throughout Israel.

After two years of work, the Franciscan St John the Baptist chapel beside the River Jordan in Israel is landmine free. Christians are again able to pray at the site, abandoned 54 years ago.

Israel and Morocco have just signed an aviation agreement that will see direct flights launch between the two countries in two to three months.

This historic announcement from Casablanca and Jerusalem is of the first strategic partnership in PR between Morocco and Israel. Morocco’s Brand & Image Agency and Israel’s Kam Global Strategies will use their expertise to the benefit of business individuals and institutions in both countries.