Israel Active

Palestinian Authority Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’s brother-in-law underwent life-saving heart surgery at the Assuta Medical Center in northern Tel Aviv’s Ramat Hachayal neighborhood. The surgery was successful and he was said to be recovering in intensive care.

A Royal Jordanian Airbus 320 from Dubai in the UAE to Amman made an emergency landing at Ben-Gurion Airport due to poor weather and low fuel. The UAE has no diplomatic relations with Israel. Airport staff gave passengers snacks while they waited to take off.

The cities of Tel Aviv and Berlin have launched a startup exchange program. They will be offering free co-working spaces, advice on visas, regulations and legal issues as well as one-on-one mentoring assistance for interested startups.

ISRAEL21c has launched its new Spanish-language site, ISRAEL21c Español. Some 400 million people speak Spanish, and it’s important that they also hear about Israel’s extraordinary accomplishments. Please pass this site onto any Spanish-speaking friends, relatives and colleagues.

Israel has been accepted as a full member of the United Nations Committee on the Peaceful Uses of Outer Space (COPUOS). 117 committee members voted in favor of Israel. Qatar abstained and only Namibia voted against. ?  

This year, Arabs comprise 14.4% of bachelor’s degree students in Israel, up from 9.8% in 1999-2000. Arab master's students increased from 3.6% to 10.5% and Arab Ph.D. students increased from 2.8% to 5.9%. Female Arab students increased from 61.7% to 67.2%.  

Israel has sent 1.5 tons of medical aid to Greece to help the flood of migrants landing on the Greek Islands. The medicines were sent by air to the Greek Ministry of Health, which will disburse them at the various refugee aid centers. Israeli NGO IsraAid is also providing medical assistance to the refugees. ?

Israel is the 2015 country of honor at the Pujiang Innovation Forum, China’s leading economic symposium, in Shanghai. Approximately 1,500 international economic and marketing leaders attend the annual symposium. Israeli Interior Minister Silvan Shalom is the guest of honor.

The Nigerian Association of Chambers of Commerce, Industry, Mines and Agriculture (NACCIMA) is working with Israeli businessmen to diversify its oil-based economy and improve trade relations between the two countries.  

The restaurant Hummus Bar at the M Mall in Kfar Vitkin near Netanya is offering a free refill of each plate of the chickpea paste at tables seating Jews and Arabs together. The restaurant is kosher, meaning that observant Jews and Muslims can also take advantage of the offer.