Israel Active

Israel has set up a mechanism to funnel aid to the Palestinian Arabs in the event of an earthquake. Israeli military relief would be available on request from the PA. A tremor registering 5.5 on the Richter scale shook Israel and the territories last week.

Finland, with one of world's best education systems, has adopted the nursery program of 90-year-old Bar Ilan Professor Reuven Feuerstein. "The secret is that we do not teach content, rather we impart learning and cognitive thinking strategies," said the Professor.

11-year old Kathleen Eligado recently performed Miri Aloni’s classic “Ballad of Hedva and Shlomik,” in Hebrew, before a TV audience of a million Israelis. Born in Israel to Filipino migrants, she is one of the stars of the popular Israeli show “Music School,” a kind of “American Idol” for kids.

Israeli farmers breed barn owls to control rodent pests on farmland. The program has been extended to the Palestinian Authority and Jordan and the Society for Protection of Nature in Israel has just publicised the story of a breeding pair consisting of an Israeli owl and a Jordanian owl.

Czech Prime Minister Petr Necas entertained Israeli PM Binyamin Netanyahu and seven cabinet ministers in Prague. Mr Necas said, “We’ve got a full understanding of Israel’s situation as a small, democratic country in a very dangerous region with very dangerous neighbours”.

At the Motorola-Israel conference, former Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice described the events of 9/11 that convinced the US that it significantly needed to ramp up security. The US government turned to Israel, and companies like Motorola, for help.

Annual bilateral trade totals $3.3 billion. Scientific and technological ties are strengthening, as is the cultural relationship. Japan also supports the Peace Corridor project, which entails the establishment of an agro-industrial park near the city of Jericho.

The Memorandum of Understanding between Israel's Agency for International Development Cooperation, (MASHAV) and the UN Industrial Development Organization recognises Israel's abilities and contributions to the world. It will increase cooperation in food security, water management, women empowerment and industrial development in developing countries.

Arab-Israeli swimmer Jowan Qupty will represent Israel at 100m breaststroke at the European Swimming Championship in Hungary in June.

Judea and Samaria Police officers backed by IDF, and Border Guard forces, raided an Arab gang's hideout in a search for stolen Israeli dogs. Despite Palestinian Arabs pelting police with stones and Molotov cocktails, the dogs were eventually reunited with their relieved owners.