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State-to-State Cooperation:
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Trade and Population Statistics:
Exports to Israel in 2012: Percentage change from 2011: Israel's rank as trade partner: Total exports since 1996: Foreign Military Financing Contracts with Israel in 2012: Jewish Population in 2011: Jewish Percentage of Total Population:
Binational foundation grants shared by Hawaii and Israel:
Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (1979-2010): $1,447,400 Binational Science Foundation (1996-2009): $678,126 Binational Industrial Research and Development Organization (1977-2010): $0
Grant recipients in Hawaii from U.S.-Israel binational foundations:
Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology
University of Hawaii
USDA Agricultural Research Center
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Cooperative Agreements - "Memoranda of Understanding"
In December 2008, Governor Linda Lingle and Shai Agassi, founder and CEO of Better Place, announced the signing of a memorandum of understanding that is centered on a plan to bring an electric-car network to Hawai‘i, thus creating a model for the adoption of electric cars in the U.S. The move – only the second of its kind announced in the nation – will help fuel Hawai‘i’s drive to lead the nation in renewable energy use, create jobs locally, while also helping to secure our energy future. “Attracting investments into the state is a major component of our Five-Point Action Plan to help stimulate the economy,” said Governor Linda Lingle during a celebratory press conference. “Today’s announcement is a significant move towards our state gaining independence from foreign oil." Read more about the MOU, CLICK HERE.
In May 2004, as part of her mission to Israel, Governor Linda Lingle signed a memorandum of understanding between the state of Hawaii and Israel to encourage cooperation concerning agriculture and aquaculture research and development. This historic agreement was signed with Israeli Minister of Agriculture Israel Katz in a ceremony in Beit Dagan. It is a direct bilateral agreement with Israel to foster cooperation in the areas of agriculture and aguaculture research and development.
Hawaii Government Missions to Israel
January 2012 - Senator Daniel Inouye traveled to Israel with Senators Thad Cochran (R-MS) and Barbara Mikulski (D-MD). He told high school students in Jerusalem that the US takes the threat of an Iranian attack on Israel very seriously. "We in the US are deeply concerned with the activities in Iran. If the Iranians should ever develop a nuclear device or bomb, that could mean the end of the world as we know it in the Middle East. It would have an impact on all countries, not just Israel. As a result, our position is that if you attack Israel, you are attacking the United States," he said. To read more about the trip and Senator Inouye's statements, CLICK HERE.
May 2004 - Linda Lingle, the Jewish Republican governor of Hawaii, led a agricultural and trade mission as her first trip to Israel. In Israel, Gov Lingle met with senior Israeli government officials, including Prime Minister Ariel Sharon and she also visited the Negev Desert where she discussed issues in higher education. Though this was only her first trip to the region, Gov. Lingle made an instant connection. ""We're both isolated," said Gov. Lingle, "We're isolated by water; they're isolated by unfriendly neighbors." Learn more about her trip to the region, CLICK HERE.
The U.S.-Israel relationship is based on the twin pillars of shared values and mutual interests. Given this commonality of interests and beliefs, it should not be surprising that support for Israel is one of the most pronounced and consistent foreign policy values of the American people.
It is more difficult to devise programs that capitalize on the two nations' shared values than their security interests; nevertheless, such programs do exist. In fact, these SHARED VALUE INITIATIVES cover a broad range of areas, including the environment, science and technology, education and health.
Today's interdependent global economy requires that trade policy be developed at the national and state level.
Many states have recognized the opportunity for realizing significant benefits by seeking to increase trade with Israel. No fewer than 33 states, including Hawaii, have cooperative agreements with Israel.
Hawaii does not yet have a formal partnership with Israel; nevertheless, in 2010 , Hawaii exported over $275,000 worth of manufacturing goods to Israel. The total amount of exports to Israel since 1996 exceeds $4.4 million. Israel now ranks as Hawaii's 51st leading trade partner.
Israel is certainly a place where potential business and trade partners can be found. It can also be a source, however, for innovative programs and ideas for addressing problems facing the citizens of Hawaii.
Israel has developed a number of pioneering education programs. For example, AICE introduced an innovative Israeli peer tutoring program to North Carolina that educators adapted for use in the United States. Now known as Reading Together, the program is used in 28 states. The program is designed to help students achieve reading fluency and is mostly used for children in second grade. The hope is that with its implementation, increasing numbers of students will perform at grade level or above.
A range of other exciting approaches to social problems like unemployment, environmental protection and drug abuse have been successfully implemented in Israel and could be imported for the benefit of Americans.
The potential for greater cooperation with Israel for the benefit of Hawaii is limited only by the imagination.
Hawaii Firms Profit From Business With Israel
As the only country with free trade agreements with both the United States and the European community, Israel can act as a bridge for international trade between the U.S. and Europe. Moreover, because of its deep pool of talent, particularly in high-technology areas, Israel provides excellent investment opportunities. Some of the nation’s largest companies, such as IBM, Microsoft, Motorola, Intel and McDonald’s have found that it is indeed profitable to do business in Israel.
One good way to break into the Israeli market is through a joint venture with an Israeli company. Funding for such projects is available from the Binational Industrial Research and Development Foundation (BIRD). BIRD funds projects in 36 states and the District of Columbia and hundreds of companies including AOL, GE, BP Solar, Texas Instruments and Johnson & Johnson have benefitted from BIRD grants.
The United States and Israel established BIRD in 1977 to fund joint U.S.-Israeli teams in the development and subsequent commercialization of innovative, nondefense technological products from which both the Israeli and American company can expect to derive benefits commensurate with the investments and risks. Most grant recipients are small businesses involved with software, instrumentation, communications, medical devices and semiconductors.
Since its inception, BIRD has funded more than 800 joint high-tech R&D projects through conditional grants totaling more than $210 million. Products developed from these ventures have generated more than $8 billion in direct and indirect revenues for both countries and has helped to create an estimated 20,000 American jobs. Dr. Eli Opper, the former Israeli chair of BIRD, has said that BIRD is a strong pillar of US-Israel industrial cooperation and that the extreme success of BIRD has led Israel to adopt similar models of R&D with other countries.At present, no Hawaii companies have taken advantage of the opportunities and reduced risks offered by grants through BIRD.
Hawaii researchers are making scientific breakthroughs and developing cutting-edge technologies in joint projects with Israeli scientists thanks to support from the Binational Science Foundation (BSF). BSF was established in 1972 to promote scientific relations and cooperation between scientists from the United States and Israel. The fund supports collaborative research projects in a wide area of basic and applied scientific field for peaceful and non-profit purposes. Since its inception, BSF has awarded some $480 million through more than 4,000 grants in 45 states and the District of Columbia.
BSF-sponsored studies are highly successful in achieving their two main goals: strengthening the US-Israel partnership through science and promoting world-class scientific research for the benefit of the two countries and all mankind. The BSF grants help extend research resources to achieve milestones that might not otherwise be attainable; introduce novel approaches and techniques to lead American researchers in new directions; confirm, clarify and intensify research projects; and provide unmatched access to Israeli equipment, facilities and research results that help speed American scientific advances. BSF has documented no less than 75 new discoveries made possible by its research grants and counts 37 Nobel Prize and 19 Lasker Medical Award laureates among its joint partners.
Hawaii institutions have shared with their counterparts in Israel nearly $700,000 in BSF grants awarded since 1996 alone.
In 1978 the United States and Israel jointly created the Binational Agricultural Research and Development Fund (BARD) to help fund programs between US and Israeli scientists for mutually beneficial, mission-oriented, strategic and applied research into agricultural problems. Since its inception, BARD has funded more than 1,000 projects in 45 states and the District of Columbia with a total investment of more than $250 million. In 2000, an independent and external economic review of 10 BARD projects conservatively projected more than $700 million in revenue by the end of 2010, a number which far outweighs the total investment in all BARD projects over its 33 year existence and helps to continually strengthen the foundation.
Most BARD projects focus on either increasing agricultural productivity, plant and animal health or food quality and safety and have been influential in creating new technologies in drip irrigation, pesticides, fish farming, livestock, poultry, disease control and farm equipment. BARD funds projects in 45 states and the District of Columbia and at present is beginning to administer collaborative efforts between Australia, Canada and Israel as well. It is difficult to break down the impact on a state-by-state basis, but overall, BARD-sponsored research has generated sales of more than $500 million, tax revenues of more than $100 million and created more than 5,000 American jobs. Hawaii institutions have shared grants worth more than $1.4 million since 1979.
None. Help us build this section. Email AICE with any updates, additions, corrections or comments. We appreciate your support!
None. Help us build this section. Email AICE with any updates, additions, corrections or comments. We appreciate your support!
Hillel Campus Profiles
Pacific BasinIsrael Chamber of Commerce
1290 Maunakea St., Bldg. D
Honolulu, HI 96817-4195
Tel. 808-596-2448
Fax. 808-596-7939
Email. nora@interserv.com
