Now, in the eyes of many formerly hostile states and their people, Israel is no longer part of the problem, it is part of the solution.
Many of Israel’s contributions to the world are widely recognized, while others, equally significant, are less well known outside the circles of relevant experts and interested parties. Recognized or not, Israeli technological, scientific, medical, and additional innovations have improved the lives of countless people across the globe.
In recent years, Israel has placed great emphasis on using its talents to implement the United Nations 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. Israel’s formidable tech and R&D skills, combined with its inherent innovative spirit, form the backbone of its efforts to realize the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Amongst the fields in which Israel is making an impact that far exceeds what can be expected from a relatively small country is water. Originally motivated by the arid conditions prevalent in much of the country, Israel has invented drip irrigation, led in wastewater reclamation, applied its desalination capabilities in locations from California to India, and developed a technology that literally creates water out of air. Israel focuses on assisting global efforts to combat climate challenges as well, with climate-related enterprises comprising 10% of recent high-tech start-ups.
Israel, whose proactive problem-solving approach tends to combine pragmatism and idealism, strongly believes that sharing solutions not only brings tangible benefits to the participants but also generates an ecosphere of international collaboration that advances communal interests.
It is no surprise that the phrase “united we stand, divided we fall” has resonated down the ages. In these complicated times, the list of challenges faced by humanity in general and the Middle East in particular incorporates a multiplicity of issues like desertification and climate change, extremism and terrorism. And as this catalogue of challenges continues to increase, the need for combined action is more acute than ever.
It is clear that Israel is not alone in acknowledging the importance of unity. However, since its founding 75 years ago, Israel has had to contend with boycott activities, both by those who wish to see its destruction and by those who mistakenly believe that isolating Israel could somehow resolve a tenacious conflict not of its choice.
Fortunately, that counter-productive posture is fading away, at least in the Middle East, and the number of states in the region still challenging the Jewish state’s right to exist has drastically decreased. Now, in the eyes of many formerly hostile states and their people, Israel is no longer part of the problem, it is part of the solution.
One highly visible outcome of this attitude change is the framework of agreements between Israel and countries in the region known as the Abraham Accords. Beyond the remarkable establishment of new diplomatic relations, collaborative efforts in a wide variety of fields have flourished. It is Israel’s hope that additional countries join and that, through the resulting expansion of investment, technology, and other venues for progress, the accords contribute to the evolution of the Middle East, akin to the effect the European Economic Community (EEC) had on the continent.
Long before the 2020 inauguration of the Abraham Accords, we sought to assist hospitable countries in progressing along the same lines Israel had. In 1958, less than 10 years after Israel’s founding, the then foreign minister Golda Meir initiated MASHAV (an international cooperation program based on Israel’s development experience) that continues to this day under the auspices of the Foreign Ministry. Even though at that time we were still a developing nation, Israeli leaders believed that sharing our hard-earned know-how and acquired expertise with friends in Asia, Africa, and elsewhere was a national mission.
MASHAV emphasizes the creation of partnerships for development and the implementation of cooperative projects, for example in agriculture and food security. Its human capacity building activities concentrate on those areas in which Israel has a comparative advantage, including innovation, entrepreneurship, women’s empowerment, and public health. To date, over 300,000 people from 140 countries have graduated from MASHAV programs, having acquired the knowledge to improve their societies directly and through passing it on to their compatriots at home.
Israel’s aspirations to help make our planet a better place are rooted in Jewish ethical and religious teaching, such as Tikkun Olam (the concept that there is a duty to repair the world), and the values Israelis hold dear, among them equality, respect for human dignity, and compassion for those in need.
Israel is very aware that, like most countries, it has a long journey ahead on the path to perfection. However, Israel does not hesitate to identify and confront the societal ills that stand in its way in order to best overcome them. Out of these efforts, innovative social programs and humanitarian projects have emerged, which Israel promotes internationally so that concerned societies can benefit from our expertise in handling a large cohort of challenges, old and new.
Famous as the Start-Up Nation, today Israel’s strengths in innovation and social matters are merging together and the Jewish state is increasingly being recognized as the Impact Nation.
As Israel celebrates its 75th birthday and turns its head towards the next 75 years, we remain confident that by uniting with like-minded nations around the world, we can overcome common challenges and impact the quest for a better future.
* H.E. Naor Gilon is Israel’s Ambassador to India.