Mike's column in last week's Jewish News

It is rare to read a media story about Israel that isn’t about the conflict, settlements or latest failed attempt to get the peace process moving.  This applies whether reading the Israeli, British or international media.  The world sees Israel through the prism of the conflict – as a result the vibrancy of Israeli culture, the country’s economic achievements, humanitarian aid to the rest of the world and proud democratic traditions can be forgotten.  Given the flow of negative stories about Israel it is all the more important to emphasise the country’s hugely positive global impact.

It is estimated that half the population of the planet will have their lives extended by Israeli developed cancer therapy, medical treatments, humanitarian aid, agricultural innovations and water technology.  Israel’s ability to punch above its very small size has come about as a result of the country’s business culture, embrace of globalisation and the traditional charity found in Jewish society. The most extraordinary level of new business start ups in Israel is one area that has garnered some international attention, particularly in the United States.   This is largely thanks to the book ‘Start up Nation’ by Dan Senor and Saul Singer which attempts to answer an incredible question – how a small country, bereft of natural resources, surrounded by enemies and at an almost constant state of war for 60 years can produce more start-up companies than large nations?  Israel performs better in this way than not only the UK, but rapidly emerging nations such as India and China.

Israel has the largest number of start-ups outside the US of any country on earth despite its small population.  Incredibly, 7.5 million Israelis set up more companies than the 700 million living in Europe.  This embrace of risk taking allows Israeli entrepreneur’s good ideas to flourish, benefiting the rest of the world.  Of course not all succeed, but enough take hold to push the overall economy forwards.
Senor and Singer’s book argues that the reasons behind this phenomenon lies in the Israeli culture, where the confidence and ‘can-do’ attitude fostered by military service result in entrepreneurs being unafraid to take risks.  Visitors to Israel can be taken aback by this attitude, mistaking it for pushiness, but I have seen for myself how junior members of staff of Israeli companies are forthright in putting forward their views, helping the firm grow and creating a flat management structure.

Where Israel moves ahead of the rest of the world is in the fields of science and research & development, particularly in the medical field.  There is a misconception that high military spending and the involvement of the military in research and development is responsible for this.  The IDF does have a cultural role, providing leadership skills and fostering teamwork.  But the vast majority of R&D is civilian and spends a higher percentage of GDP on research than any other nation.

In the field of medical technology Israel registers more patents per capita than any other country.   The most famous example of this innovation came last year when Congresswoman Gifford’s life was saved when an Israeli designed special bandage which stopped the blood loss from the gunshot wound to her head.  Without this medical development the Congresswoman would not have survived.  

Israeli’s creativity and success at converting ideas into viable businesses was recognised last week when Tel Aviv was named one of the world’s most creative cities. The report gave the example of face recognition software, now in use by Facebook, which automatically tags your friends into photos. This was developed in Israel and is now being used by Facebook’s 600 million customers worldwide.

Away from business the humanitarian work carried out by Israeli NGOs and the IDF often goes unsung.  Following the Haiti earthquake we saw the best of Israel and the worst of anti-Semites.  In the days following the quake a field hospital was erected by the IDF and began treating the wounded before even the Americans had arrived on the island.  Famously this was met not with congratulations but by disgusting and ludicrous accusations of organ harvesting, including from Liberal Democrat Baroness Tonge.

That episode demonstrates that it is more important than ever to speak up for Israel and make clear that there is more to the country than the conflict.  Israel vastly outstrips the economic performance of its neighbours, changing the world through technological improvements and sets an example of property rights and democracy to the rest of the Middle East.  Spreading this message is one of the most important things supporters of Israel can do.

More at the Jewish News' website