Netanyahu Promotes Israeli High-Tech in California

“The best brains in the world are in Silicon Valley and Silicon Wadi,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared on his recent visit to California, where he promoted Israeli high-tech and signed a strategic partnership with Governor Jerry Brown.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu signed a strategic pro-business partnership with California Governor Jerry Brown last week, which is expected to boost economic, cultural and academic cooperation between the Silicon Valley and Israel.

ISRAELI HIGH-TECH CELEBRATED IN SILICON VALLEY

While in the U.S. for talks in Washington on the Iranian nuclear threat and the Israel-Palestinian peace negotiations, the leader of the ‘Start-Up Nation’ also made a three-day visit to the West Coast, where he successfully promoted Israeli high-tech and signed a strategic pro-business partnership with Governor Jerry Brown. The deal is expected to boost economic, cultural and academic cooperation between the Silicon Valley and Israel.

“Through this agreement, California and Israel will build on their respective strengths in research and technology to confront critical problems we both face, such as water scarcity, cyber security and climate change,” Brown stated.

Flextronics CEO Mike McNamara and YouTube CEO Susan Wojcicki were among the corporate leaders attending the meeting. Netanyahu discussed increased investments in the Israeli economy, adding that he intends to implement deregulation reforms, citing over-regulation in Israel.

The Israeli leader met with Apple CEO Tim Cook and other corporate leaders and was briefed on Apple’s activities in Israel, which have significantly expanded since their inception approximately two-and-a-half years ago, according to a PMO press release. Netanyahu invited Cook to visit Israel and proposed that Apple begin activity at the national cyber park in Be’er Sheva.

Netanyahu also held meetings with WhatsApp founders Jan Koum and Brian Acton and discussed cyber protection technologies that have been developed in Israel.

“The best brains in the world are in Silicon Valley and Silicon Wadi,” Netanyahu asserted, noting that Israeli high-tech has long been recognized in California and the world over. Silicon Wadi is an area on the Israeli coast with a high concentration of high-tech industry similar to its American counterpart.

At a meeting at the Computer History Museum in Mountain View, Netanyahu and Brown discussed mutual interests in cybersecurity, energy sources and water conservation.

“California doesn’t need to have a water problem,” Netanyahu suggested. “Israel has no water problems because we are the Number One recyclers of wastewater. We stop water leaks. We use drip irrigation and desalination.”

“Israel has demonstrated how efficient a country can be, and there is a great opportunity for collaboration,” Brown said.

While visiting the Golden State, Netanyahu also met with famous entertainment celebrities at the home of Israeli Academy-Award-winning film producer Arnon Milchan in Malibu, including Leonardo DiCaprio, Kate Hudson and Keanu Reeves.

NETANYAHU: ‘WE CANNOT BE TOLERANT TO THE INTOLERANT.’

Netanyahu concluded his stay in California with an address to approximately 300 prominent members of the Jewish community at the Simon Wiesenthal Center’s Museum of Tolerance, Shown a letter of clear intent by Hitler to liquidate the Jewish people, he declared:

“When somebody says that they are going to annihilate you, you take them seriously and prepare, and warn, and make an issue of it.”

Referring to the IDF’s seizure last week of an Iranian vessel carrying deadly weapons for use against Israeli civilians, he said:

“If there is something I can say here at the Museum of Tolerance, it is that we cannot be tolerant to the intolerant.”

Author: Atara Beck, Staff Writer, United with Israel
Date: Mar. 10, 2014