The Miracle Continues...Walk Tall Israel

1. Israeli wins World Food Prize for 1st time in history


The World Food Prize Foundation, in the presence of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, announced Prof. Hillel as this year’s winner of the World Food Prize at a ceremony in Washington. Established in 1987 by Nobel Peace Prize winner Dr. Norman Borlaug, the $250,000 prize recognizes “individuals who have contributed landmark achievements in increasing the quality, quantity or availability of food in the world.” Read more http://www.jpost.com/NationalNews/Article.aspx?id=273671


2. Foreign direct investment in Israel doubles

According to the UN World Investment Report, investment in Israel totaled $11.37 billion in 2011, 106% more than in 2010. COMMENT: The numbers speak for themselves. Must be all that cash that was intended for Egypt and Syria.

3.IAI signs 2 Italian contracts for $932m

IAI will supply the Italian Air Force with two G-550 Gulfstream airborne early warning planes and an observation satellite. IAI president & CEO Joseph Weiss said, "Italy is an important European country and we are proud of strengthening our relationship with it. The Airborne Early Warning aircraft and the observation satellite are two of IAI's strategic products. Beyond the financial and occupational aspects, this deal represents a significant collaboration with the European industry."

4.Honeywell awarded $735m Israeli jet trainer engine contract

Honeywell Inc. (NYSE: HON) has announced that it has been awarded a $735 million contract by Israel's Ministry of Defense for jet trainer engines, through its unit International Turbine Engine Company LLC, a joint venture with Aerospace Industrial Development Corp. 

COMMENT: Looks like Israel is a full partner in this partnership.

5.Majors vie for stake in Leviathan gas field

Avner Oil, Delek Drilling, and Ratio say they have offers from leading international gas companies for up to 30% of their rights in the field. Market sources believe that French oil major Total SA and Russia's Gazprom JSC are in a race to acquire rights to Leviathan, which is the largest natural gas discovery of the past decade. Gazprom's interest in Leviathan would be to prevent competition to its own hold on the European natural gas market. 

COMMENT: We wonder how the Palestinian arabs are viewing these developments.

6. S&P affirms Israel's rating

International credit rating agency Standard and Poor's has affirmed its foreign currency sovereign credit ratings on Israel at A+/A-1, and its local currency ratings at AA-/A-1+, with a stable outlook. In its announcement, S&P said, "The Israeli economy continues to generate solid economic growth and enjoy a net external asset position, even though the current account has temporarily turned negative. The stable outlook reflects our view that there is sufficient political will to prevent a sizable increase in the government's debt burden, and that major security risks will be contained."

COMMENT: Israel continues upwards and outwards. On the other hand, though..Israel's enemies....At the bottom of the barrel....big time!

7. IAI in $958m Indian UAV upgrade deal 

The Indian media reports Israel Aerospace Industries will upgrade Searcher and Heron UAVs for the Indian armed forces. Collaboration between the Indian armed services and IAI has greatly expanded in recent years. Deals include a $1.4 billion contract signed two years ago for the supply of Barak ship defence missiles and other systems. IAI refused to respond to the report.

COMMENT: How the world has changed over the last decades. Anybody remember Arafat at the UN, gun at hip and holding up the olive branch, threatening..."dont let the olive branch fall from my hand". So where is Arafat today? And where is Israel!

Things are only impossible until they're not - Jan-Luc Picard