The economy of Israel is a highly developed free-market economy. The prosperity of Israel's advanced economy allows the country to have a sophisticated welfare state, a powerful modern military said to possess a nuclear-weapons capability with a full nuclear triad, modern infrastructure rivaling many Western countries, and a high-technology sector competitively on par with Silicon Valley. It has the second-largest number of startup companies in the world after the United States, and the third-largest number of NASDAQ-listed companies after the U.S. and China. American companies, such as Intel, Microsoft, and Apple, built their first overseas research and development facilities in Israel. More than 400 high-tech multi-national corporations, such as IBM, Google, Hewlett-Packard, Cisco Systems, Facebook and Motorola have opened R&D centers throughout the country.
Science and technology in Israel is one of the country's most developed sectors. Israel spent 4.3% of its gross domestic product (GDP) on civil research and development in 2015, the highest ratio in the world. In 2019, Israel was ranked the world's fifth most innovative country by the Bloomberg Innovation Index. It ranks thirteenth in the world for scientific output as measured by the number of scientific publications per million citizens. In 2014, Israel's share of scientific articles published worldwide (0.9%) was nine times higher than its share of the global population (0.1%).
Joseph "Yossi" Vardi is an Israeli entrepreneur and investor. He is one of Israel's first high-tech entrepreneurs, one of the pioneers of the Israeli internet industry. For over 47 years, he has founded and helped to build over 85 high-tech companies in a variety of fields, among them software, energy, Internet, mobile, electro-optics and water technology.
Business action on climate change includes a range of activities relating to climate change, and to influencing political decisions on climate change-related regulation, such as the Kyoto Protocol. Major multinationals have played and to some extent continue to play a significant role in the politics of climate change, especially in the United States, through lobbying of government and funding of climate change deniers. Business also plays a key role in the mitigation of climate change, through decisions to invest in researching and implementing new energy technologies and energy efficiency measures.
Yael Arad is an Israeli judoka. She was the first Israeli to win an Olympic medal at the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona in 1992. She is widely recognized as one of Israel's most successful athletes and is credited with bringing judo into the athletic mainstream.
Sport in Israel plays an important role in Israeli culture and is supported by the Ministry of Culture and Sport. The most popular sports in Israel have traditionally been Association football (mainly) and basketball (secondly) – with the first being considered the national sport – in both of which Israeli professional teams have been competitive internationally. Israel is an international center for Jewish sport around the world and since 1932 the Maccabiah Games, an Olympic-style event for Jewish athletes, is held in the country. Despite Israel's location in the Asian continent, the Israeli sports associations in various sports belong to the European associations due to the refusal of many Arab Asian countries to compete with Israeli athletes.
Mekorot is the national water company of Israel and the country's top agency for water management. Founded in 1937, it supplies Israel with 90% of its drinking water and operates a cross-country water supply network known as the National Water Carrier. Mekorot and its subsidiaries have partnered with numerous countries around the world in areas including desalination and water management.
Yoel Razvozov is an Israeli judoka and politician who served as a member of the Knesset for Yesh Atid in several spells, and as the Minister of Tourism from 2021 to 2022.
Zvi Chalamish is an Israeli real estate and industrial operations financial advisor and a public speaker. Chalamish led numerous key positions at the Government of Israel, including chief fiscal officer for the Western Hemisphere (2005–2010) and senior deputy accountant general (2000–2005). In 2010–2015 Chalamish was employed as the CEO of Ashra – The Israel Export Insurance Corp. (2010–2013) and as CEO and partner of GSE Analytical Research and Investment Advisors, part of the Giza Singer Even group (2014–2015).
Israel competed at the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing, China. This was Israel's fourteenth participation in the Summer Olympics.
Water supply and sanitation in Israel are intricately linked to the historical development of Israel. Because rain falls only in the winter, and largely in the northern part of the country, irrigation and water engineering are considered vital to the country's economic survival and growth. Large scale projects to desalinate seawater, direct water from rivers and reservoirs in the north, make optimal use of groundwater, and reclaim flood overflow and sewage have been undertaken. Among them is the National Water Carrier, carrying water from the country's biggest freshwater lake, the Sea of Galilee, to the northern part of the Negev desert through channels, pipes and tunnels. Israel's water demand today outstrips available conventional water resources. Thus, in an average year, Israel relies for about half of its water supply on unconventional water resources, including reclaimed water and desalination. A particularly long drought in 1998–2002 had prompted the government to promote large-scale seawater desalination. In 2022, 85% of the country's drinkable water was produced through desalination of saltwater and brackish water.
Ori Yogev is an Israeli businessman who served as the appointed head of the Budget Division in the Ministry of Finance between 2002 and 2004. Between 2009 and 2010, he served as Chairman of the Israel National Economic Council Advisory Committee. From 2013 to 2017 Yogev served as director of the Government Companies Authority. Yogev is one of the founders and the Chairman of the Aluma Infrastructure Investment Fund. Yogev lives in Modi'in-Maccabim-Re'ut and is married with five children.
Israel–South Korea relations refers to the diplomatic, commercial and cultural ties between Israel and South Korea. South Korea has maintained relations with Israel since 1948, and in 1962 both states initiated official diplomatic relations. Israel and South Korea have expressed interest in strengthening the relationship in all areas, particularly defence, but also renewable energy, science and technology, and bilateral trade. Israel and South Korea signed a free trade agreement in 2021.
Tal Keinan is an American-born Israeli entrepreneur and financier. He is the Chairman and CEO of Sky Harbour, a developer of airport infrastructure. He is the co-founder and former CEO of Clarity Capital, a New York and Tel Aviv based investment management firm.
The Valley of Peace initiative is an effort to promote economic cooperation between Israel, Jordan, and Palestine based around efforts and joint projects in the Arava/Arabah Valley, along which runs the southern portion of the Israel - Jordan border. It received the personal attention and support of Shimon Peres, President of Israel. The initiative involved ongoing joint efforts by regional leaders to launch joint new industrial and economic projects, which will create new local businesses and job growth, and promote ongoing cooperation.
Arye Kohavi is an Israeli entrepreneur and innovator, the CEO and co-founder of 2D Generation Ltd., which develops graphene-based technologies for the semiconductor industry. Arye previously founded and was Co-CEO of Watergen, which develops water and air systems and dehumidification technologies.
Efrat Peled is the Chairman and CEO of Arison Investments and the CEO of SAFO.
Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani is a Qatari diplomat, economist, and politician who has been serving as the Prime Minister of Qatar since 7 March 2023 and Minister of Foreign Affairs since 2016. He has also been serving as Chairman of the Qatar Fund for Development (QFFD) since 2014, and is a member of Qatar's Supreme Council for Economic Affairs and Investments (SCEAI) since 2014.
Maharan Frozenfar is a former Israeli financial adviser to the chief of staff in the Israeli Defense Forces and former head of MOD budget directorate.
Yarom Ariav is an Israeli-born economist who was the Director General of the Ministry of Finance (Israel) from 2007 to 2009, and former President and CEO of ICL Fertilizers Europe, a division of ICL Group Ltd.
