Preview Obama's Tour of Israeli Companies

While you might not be accompanying President Obama on Air Force One to Israel, you can preview the special exhibit, "Israeli technology For A Better World" that Obama will see at the Israel Museum during his visit on March 21.

The companies included in the exhibit are:

Phinergy

    

Phinergy, whose slogan is "The Future Is In the Air," has designed a battery that is powered by aluminum and air. It has three times the range of existing batteries. 

In this video, you can see the car speeding down the highway.



Mobileye

Mobieleye programs prevents traffic collisions by detecting and loudly warning about dangerous situations such as other cars traveling too close, pedestrians, or the auto itself veering into the oncoming traffic lane. If the warning remains unheeded, the system is designed to brake the car if necessary. BMW, GM, Ford, and Volvo have already installed the system in 1 million cars. By 2014, Euro-NCAP will list it as a standard feature.

ReWalk

The ReWalk exoskeleton suit with motorized legs allows paraplegics, such as Artie on "Glee," to walk.

MinDesktop

MinDesktop's headsets are controlled by brain waves or facial movements. Thus allowing the physically handicapped to operate a computer.

Robot Snake

The snake robot special design, which includes computers sensors in every joint, allows it to enter collapsed buildings to gather intelligence for rescue crews. It assists in finding trapped persons and ways to safely enter the building.

ElMindA

ElMindA'S Brain Network Activation Platform allows scientists to measure many of the brain's activities noninvasively.

Kerry Cancelled Israel Trip Due to Hagel Confirmation Delay

Although he had previously said that he would visit Israel on his first foreign trip as Secretary of State, John Kerry's office now announced that he will bypassing Israel. Instead he will visiting Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Abu Dhabi on this trip and will possibly come to Israel when President Obama comes at the end of March. The administration seems unconcerned that they will be once again criticized for visiting Israel's neighbors and not Israel.

The official reason for the delay is that Israel has not formally formed a new government after the election. This may be a fig leaf. There is no doubt that current Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu will head the next Israeli government with HaTnua leader Tzipi Livni joining the government this weekend.

According to staffers in Defense Secretary Ehud Barak's bureau, the real reason for the postponement is the logjam on Capital Hill over the Chuck Hagel confirmation as Secretary of Defense. 

"The American Secretary of Defense is more important to Israel than the Secretary of State. The Iron Dome is more essential to the survival of Israel than fruitless negotiations with the Palestinian Authority," said one staffer. "Both sides want to talk about the next round of defense purchases."

Republicans have alleged the damage caused by the delay in the eventual Hagel confirmation is minimal. The Kerry postponement proves that this is not true. Their political games are having real world consequences and could affect Israel, one of America's most important allies. 

Israeli Start Up Rumble Responsible for Inquirer's New Mobile Interface

One of the more interesting presentations at today's Philadelphia-Israeli Chamber of Commerce Mobile Conference was made by Israeli start up Rumble. I was surprised to discover that they created the  new mobile interface, which has been well received, for the Philadelphia Inquirer and Daily News.

Co-founder and CEO Al. E. Azoulay claims the platform is so easy to use that newspapers will start building a mobile audience within hours of downloading.

The company has some big backers, including the Knight Foundation. The former publisher of the Inquirer, Gregory Osberg, recently joined the advisory board.

IDF Spokesman: 3 Million Israelis In Line of Fire

IDF (Israeli Defense Forces) spokesman Captain Eytan Buchman is one of the people live tweeting the Gaza incursion. Yesterday, the official twitter account of the IDF, @IDFspokesperson, tweeted - 

Ahmed Jabari:Eliminated.pic.twitter.com/sCnQnKkM

Buchman, a Chicago native, explained in a phone call the reasoning behind the IDF’s increased social media activity. “We learned from Operation Cast Lead in 2008 and 2009 that there were potential new audiences that we could target rather than the traditional media,” he said. “There is so much misinformation coming out of Gaza. Videos show a man be carried into an ambulance, but don’t show the same man walking out of the ambulance a few minutes later. Hamas falsely claimed to have hit an Israeli naval vessel. Social media allows everyone to see for themselves what is happening and make their own decisions.”

As for the controversial decision to show the video of the assassination of senior Hamas leader Ahmed Jabari, Buchman defends it.“The video shows that we hit him when he was in the middle of the intersection to minimize collateral damage," he said. 

He asserts Israel tries to avoid civilian casualties but that the Palestinian leaders make that hard to do. "They put the rockets in the middle of urban areas. When the leaders know they are a target, they use Palestinians as a human shield."

He stresses that Israel tries to minimize the collateral damage. "If you ever read Sun Tzu's Art of War, you would know that surprise is important.Yet, Israel drops leaflets before an attack warning the Palestinians to leave the area. No other army in the world does that."  

Buchman is shedding no tears over the death of Jabari, He said, "Jabari has been in Hamas since 1995." He has blood on his hands and not just the sheen of blood. Gilad Shalit is just the highest profile case that he has been involved with. He is behind the stockpile of weapons in Gaza.”

The captain emphasizes 3 million Israelis now are in the line of fire from Hamas rockets. Many of them ran to bomb shelters this morning when the sirens sounded.  My cousin, Hila Tal-Lazarus, wrote this on her Facebook page: “Terrible, I can’t explain the feeling of running for shelter with a 6 months old and a three year old. This is the time that I wish I wasn’t a mommy… But otherwise we are well. Thanks!”

Captain Buchman credits the Iron Dome, which was supplied by the United States Government under President Obama, for preventing the situation from not being much worse.  “Since it was first utilized in April 2011, it has prevented 100 rockets. In the last four days, it has prevented 105 rockets.”

The IDF has 30 seconds, the length of time of a Super Bowl commercial, to make the decision to fire a missile in response to a Hamas rocket. They do not fire at every Hamas rocket, only the ones that will land in urban areas, due to the $40,000 cost of each missile.  

Three Israelis died today after being hit by Hamas rocket fire. Israel does not have enough Iron Dome batteries to cover the entire Southern region.

Buchman argues, “Those that accuse Israel of being the aggressor have not been paying attention. They should be asking why it took us so long to respond. Since 2001, 12,800 rockets and mortars, an average of 3 a day, have landed in Israel. 274 rockets have landed in Israel since Operation Pillars of Defense.”

By the way, Buchman is the one that coined the Operation Pillar of Defense name. In Hebrew, the name of the operation is Pillar of Cloud, which references the cloud that traveled with the Jews as they left Egypt and made their way to Israel. While Israelis know the Bible well, he was not sure that Americans would understand the biblical reference. 

Did Netanyahu Prevent Obama From Meeting With Other World Leaders?

Much media attention this week has been focused on the fact that this is the first time in 20 years that an American president has held no one on one meetings with world leaders in town for the UN's General Assembly. Being an election year, Obama had limited time to spend at this year's General Assembly.

 A source, who has been involved in Mideast affairs for years and is close to Obama, Netanyahu and Abbas, told me that Obama was prevented from meeting with other world leaders because of Netanyahu. 

This source said, "Netanyahu would have raised holy hell if Obama met with other world leaders and not him. Abbas would have objected if he met with Netanyahu and not him."

Locked in a close election race and knowing that there was be a possible political downside to meeting with Netanyahu due to the strained relationship between the two leaders, Obama opted not to hold any meetings with world leaders. 

While I am very pro-Israel and believe that it is in America's interest to have a good relationship with Israel, it is not all about us. 

As for Bibi's Wile. E. Coyote bomb graphic, it was brilliant. For the second year in a row, no one has talked about the Palestinian problem at the UN's General Assembly. It may be only a short term victory. President Obama can not be too happy about all the talk about red lines when he is made it explicit that he will not draw one. 

Romney's Desecration of Jewish Holiday Underscores Staff's Incompetence

Presumptive Republican Nominee Mitt Romney is arriving in Israel this Sunday on Tisha B'av, the saddest day in the Jewish calendar. The somber holiday marks the date on the Hebrew calendar when both the First and Second Temples in Jerusalem were destroyed. It would be the equivalent of a foreign leader arriving in the United States on 9/11 or in Hawaii on Pearl Harbor Day.  

The state orders all businesses, except those selling necessities, to be closed on Tisha B'av. It is prohibited for cafes, gyms, nightclubs, and movie theaters to be open on Tisha B'av. The only other day of the year that Israel enforces such a ban is Yom Kippur, the holiest day of the Jewish year. 

Religious Jews observe the day by fasting. Secular Jews will commemorate the day in a more low key manner, but they will note it. There is no Israeli that does not feel the pull of the Temple and Wall. I have pictures of my great aunt Fela, who was an avowed secularist, rushing to visit the wall in the days after Israel recaptured it during the 1967 Six Day War. 

Israelis were buzzing with excitement upon the arrival of Obama in 2008. The Jewish press is already noting that Romney's arrival has received a ho hum reaction. Romney came to Israel to shore up his Jewish vote, but by arriving on a somber Jewish holiday he risks offending his mostly likely Jewish constituency-religious Jews. He has already been forced to change a fundraiser to the next day. 

I really hope that Romney does not exacerbate his mistake by desecrating the holiday with the staging of a photo opportunity at the Wall on its most somber day. Jews should be allowed to pray at the Wall on this special day without the distraction and interruption that a Romney visit and the accompanying media will bring.  

Sandra Bernhard Credits Israel Trip with Work Ethic

Sandra Bernhard's cutting edge humor was on display at the Painted Bride in Philadelphia last night. Who knew that Bernhard and Republican Presidential candidate Michele Bachman had something in common? Both of them worked on a Kibbutz after high school. The only difference being that Bernhard had lots of family here.
Bernhard credits the Kibbutz with instilling a work ethic in her. She rose at 7 15, 6 days a week to pick fruit, cotton, etc.
University of Arts Professor Camille Paglia and Bernhard used to be good friends. Their friendship ended over Palin. Paglia semi endorsed Palin's brand of feminism during the 2008 elections, which disturbed Bernhard. "This election is too important to even joke about things like that," said Bernhard.

Gaza: Pictures From A Mediterranean Paradise

The picture to the left is of the central public library in Gaza. If it does not look familiar to you, I am not surprised. Whenever there is a story on Gaza, a picture of the squalid refugee camps is usually attached. Most people do not realize that the majority of Gaza is developed and very beautiful. I hope these pictures dispel the myth of the indigence of Gaza.

I hate to scream media bias against Israel. I just hope that you realize that the reporters that neglected to show you the presentable sections of Gaza are the same ones that tell you about the suffering of the Palestinians. Draw your own conclusions. Imagine the image of New York if all the stories featured Bedford-Stuyvesant and Brownsville instead of the Manhattan skyline, Times Square, or Wall Street.

While the plight of the Palestinian is constantly told and retold, the media talks very little about the excruciation of the Lebanese Christians at the hands of the Palestinians and other Arabs. Since the United States is a predominately Christian country, this aperture in the reporting from the Middle East seems odd.

My neighbor George, a Lebanese Christian from the southern town of Sarba (near Saida), reminded me "the Palestinians were willing to leave Gaza in the late sixties and early seventies and resettle in Lebanon." During the long war between the Palestinians and Lebanese, the Palestinians killed 20 of his relatives. Some members of his family were murdered at a family funeral to mourn the original members of the clan that had been killed by the Palestinians. George can not go back to his family home because the Palestinians have stolen it from them.

Former Defense Secretary Gates Talks Israel

Former Secretary of Defense Robert Gates, while at the National Constitution Center in Philadelphia to receive the Liberty Medal, criticized Israel again, but is opposed to the unilateral declaration of of Palestinian statehood at the United Nations. Gates, who is the first US Secretary of Defense to visit Ramallah, said, "Israel is now alone in the Middle East. Israel has made mistakes. They are having trouble with Egypt. They have alienated Turkey. They assassinated a Hamas leader in the United Arab Emirates."

He blamed their isolation on the settlements. He explained, "The Arabs are angry about the settlements. Every American President  has urged stopping the settlements because each new settlement makes it harder to define the borders."

He dismissed concerns about the right wing coalition of Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu. "I have known Netanyahu since 1990: Barak since he was chief of staff of the Army. I was with Carter at the Camp David Talks. In my five decades of dealing with Israel, I have seen that peace can only take a major step forward on the Israeli side with conservative leaders -(Menachem) Begin, (Yitzhak)Shamir, (Ariel)Sharon before his stroke."

Gates, who has taken the oath to protect the Constitution 7 times, believes that there can only be progress in the peace negotiations "with aggressive American leadership."

When asked about the upcoming vote on the  unilateral declaration of Palestinian statehood, Gates responds, "You have to ask if this advances or hurt the cause of peace. It hurts."

He continued, "Which set of  Palestinians  does this represent? Is it the West Bank, where the Palestinian Authority is in control and security forces have been trained by the US and cooperate with Israel. Or Gaza, which wants the destruction of Israel."

As for Hezbollah, he reminded the audience that "they had more rockets than most countries."

I Could Have Been Victim of the Terror Attack in Israel

This week's terror attack in Israel occurred several blocks from where I used to live in the heart of Tel Aviv. The intended target was 2000 high school students celebrating the end of summer at the Haoman 17 nightclub, which is typically jammed on a Saturday night. Many young children would have died without the quick thinking and intervention of the Israeli border police. 8 people, including several policemen, were wounded.

When people ask me where I stand on the Israeli-Palestinian issue. I always say that I am pro-life, my life. Many people are upset that Israel continues to build settlements but they serve as a vital security buffer between the Israelis and Palestinians. When terrorists are willing to kill innocent young children in undisputed Israeli territory to make a point, I am not sure that I want to eliminate that buffer.

Could Obama Be Ready to Jumpstart the Peace Process?

There has been much discussion of Obama's vacation reading list. Tevi Troy at the National Review criticizes the list because it is top heavy with novels. According to Troy, reading novels shows that you are out of touch with reality. He also pans novels because you can not learn anything from them. Don't tell that to my Wall Street friends, whose lives were changed forever by reading one of Ayn Rand's novels. Troy seems to have forgotten how Upton Sinclair's novel, "The Jungle" reformed the meat packing industry.

Snobbish bibliophiles sniffed their noses at the detective novels on the list. Robin Black on Salon complained that the President does not read enough books by women authors. Eric Herschthal, a writer at  Jewish Week, promulgates the false notion of Jewish American cultural superiority over Israelis by suggesting that Obama shouldn't have chosen a book by Israeli author David Grossman but instead one by a Jewish American writer.

The President most likely picked this seminal Israeli novel about loss to read because he wants to better understand Israeli culture while reading beautiful literature. Grossman, who is considered one of Israel's greatest writers, has been awarded the Bialik Prize for Literature, the Emet Prize, the Peace Prize of the German Book Trade, and many others. The Israeli public voted him one of the 200 Greatest Israelis of all time in a newspaper tabloid poll. Grossman, who is a hero of Israel's left wing, was recently beaten by the police during anti-settlement protests. Humble as ever, he shrugged off the beating by saying that the police probably did not recognize him.

I had a chance to talk with Grossman, who is a reservist in the Israeli army despite his celebrity status. Grossman was "thrilled" that Obama took his book, "To the End of the Land" to Martha's Vineyard. The book, which is Grossman's first overtly political novel, is an emotionally wrenching portrait of an Israeli mother mourning the loss of her son killed during one of  Israel's interminable wars. He wrote it shortly after the death of his son Uri in the Second Lebanon War.

 "After reading my book, I think that Obama will better understand Israelis," said Grossman. "I think that it could jumpstart the peace process."

 He hopes "Obama puts Netanyahu and Abbas in a room and knocks their heads together." "Everyone knows what the terms of a deal should look like - a reconfiguration of the 1967 borders, Palestinians get a demilitarized state, but give up the right of return," said Grossman.

These terms by a proud Israeli sounds suspiciously similar to the terms that Obama outlined in his MidEast policy speech in May, which was deemed by critics of Obama and Israeli activists anti-Israeli. Maybe the Jews and Politico owe Obama apology for their rhetoric especially since Prime Minister Netanyahu offered the same terms if Palestinians would not introduce a resolution to the United Nations asking for an independent Palestinian State.

Israeli Government Sources- "Not Bombing Iran"

I want to respond to the recent Huffington Post and Businessinsider articles that Israel is considering bombing Iran before the UN vote on a Palestinian state in September. All of my sources' who are either in the Prime Minister's office or Israeli military, intelligence officials, and diplomats, say that the bombing of Iran will not occur before the UN Vote.

Israel is deathly afraid that the UN could create a separate Palestinian state. As you may recall, Israel was created by a UN Vote.

All of the Israeli government's current energies are directed towards defeating that vote. The Israeli government considers the creation of Palestinian state by the UN the most serious threat that the state of Israel has ever encountered. They believe that the creation of a Palestinian state by the UN will endanger the safety of its citizens far more than Iran.

This is why Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu agreed last week to start peace negotiations with the Palestinians along the lines of the 1967 borders if the Palestinians would forsake asking for statehood at the UN.

One military official said to me, "Why would we risk bombing Iran before the UN vote. What is the rush?"

While Israel may have tacit American support for an attack on Iran, Israel do not want to risk anything going wrong during the bombing which would force America to withdraw its support at the UN.

While I know many follow Jeffrey Goldberg's reporting on Israel including the shaky prediction that Israel would bomb Iran, I urge you to not believe that Israel is going to bomb Iran any time soon.

I have lived in Israel for 10 years, returning in 2009. Many of my family have lived since the State's creation.

While living in Israel, I made the acquaintance of many in government, military, and intelligence. I freelanced at the defense contractor Elbit Systems, where many former military officials worked. As a reporter for Israeli news outlets such as Globes, Israel21c, Jerusalem Post, and Haaretz, I wrote about military matters and know many of the military reporters covering the beat.