Israel Active

Israel continues to provide major economic support to Palestinian Arabs through its greatly enlarged jobs program. Today, 18.9% of Arabs from PA-controlled cities and from Gaza work inside Israel – some 182,000. In 2012 this was only 10.4%.

Israeli startups Phone.do, Triple Whale and Cross River employ a high percentage of Haredi (ultra-orthodox) Jews. As Triple Whale co-founder Maxx Blank says, “They are an unbelievable talent. Their quality and work ethic are the best, and they are extremely loyal.”  The NGO MeGo helps with training.

5-year-old Amir from Gaza is the 3,000th Palestinian Arab child to have had life-saving heart surgery by doctors from Israel’s Save A Child’s Heart. Amir’s mother revealed that everyone in Gaza says Israeli doctors are the most professional and trustworthy in the world.

The Azerbaijani parliament has announced its historic decision to open an embassy in Tel Aviv. It will be the first embassy in Israel of a country with a Shi’ite majority and a Shi’ite government. Azerbaijan recently opened a trade office and a tourism office in Tel Aviv.

Israeli think tank and incubator YK Center is working with three United Nations organizations to launch an award that will be given to banks, insurance companies and stock exchanges that have performed best in relation to the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals.

Two Asiatic lion cubs were born at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo - the second litter of resident lions Gir and Yasha. Israel’s joint project with the European Association of Zoos and Aquaria aims to rescue the Asiatic lion, which were widespread in the Land of Israel until the Crusader period.

The Israeli Embassy in Abu Dhabi has just issued the first passport to an Israeli baby born in the United Arab Emirates. Mateo David was born on 13 May to an Israeli mother and her Belgian husband who have been living in Abu Dhabi for the past year.

43 recent Russian immigrants have enrolled in the Aliya to Academia program at Israel’s Ben Gurion University. Courses in mathematics, physics and programming are taught in Russian. Students also receive a Hebrew ulpan, a stipend, mentoring, field trips, and more.

Yoseph Haddad highlights Prof Samer Haj Yahya, Chairman of Leumi Bank; Prof Masad Barhum, Director of the Galilee Medical Center; Supreme Court Justice Khaled Kabub; Julia Zaher, CEO of Al Arez Tehina, plus Arab sporting stars including Israel’s soccer captain.

Israel rose to 9th in the 2022 World Happiness Report, issued by the United Nations Sustainable Development Solutions Network, which measures healthy life-expectancy, income, social support, freedom, and generosity. Israel moved up three places from last year’s 12th position (see previously).