Israel Active

Researchers at the Faculty of Agriculture at the Hebrew University in Jerusalem have confirmed that planting ten of thousands of olive trees in arid areas in Israel is highly beneficial. The trees require little water, protect animals and birds, reduce CO2, discourage jackals and make excellent olive oil.

Israel’s Fourth International Conference on Drylands, Deserts and Desertification (DDD) held at the Sde Boker campus of Ben-Gurion University of the Negev, drew more than 500 participants from 60 countries. One of its sponsors was the UN, which aims to halt land degradation by 2030.

Lenovo’s new range of Ideapad Ultrabooks includes the gesture control features of Israeli startup, eyeSight Mobile Technologies. With simple hand movements, from a distance of up to 70cm you can control media player, photo gallery, Powerpoint and PDF reader.

The Israeli-developed XciteR chipset developed by DSP Group will power TECOM’s new MOCET Communicator – the advanced IP phone for Apple’s iPAD. DSP products are being integrated into a number of High Definition (HD) devices and services.

Israel’s EdenShield has discovered natural Negev herbs that insects cannot tolerate. The herbs are converted into solution and sprayed on the netting surrounding fruit and vegetables. When the bugs smell the aroma of the herb they turn tail and fly away.

Yair Farm is the site for this year’s two-day agritech show. 250 (mostly Israeli) companies will be demonstrating their products to over 30,000 visitors. It has something for everyone - free entrance, a farmer’s market, kids’ activities, and gala evening concerts from top Israeli stars

Flat screen technology has improved sufficiently for dogs to be able to view TV programs. Israel’s YES channel has now launched Dog TV. For NIS 9.90 per month you can leave your pet home alone to watch 3 to 6-minute-long programs of soothing, stimulating and scary content, so as not feel lonely or abandoned.

(Thanks to Atid-EDI) Beersheba Mayor Rubik Danilovich has decided to revoke plans to build 16,000 new housing units in the city's Ramot Gimel neighborhood in favor of planting a new forest. The urban forest will span across 1,360 acres and serve as the city’s green lung.

BIRD is a major Israel-US fund for Research and Development projects. It has just announced that it will be providing $9 million for ten new infrastructure projects that address water technologies, environmental recycling, cyber security and firefighting.

Harold Vinegar’s 10-minute talk at December’s Globes Israel Business Conference will tell you everything you need to know about Israel’s shale oil deposits. 250 billion barrels of high-quality oil will change the face of the Middle East.