Here’s what:
#1. Making Water From Air
“Israeli startup Watergen, which has developed a technology to make water from air, has been named winner of the Energy Efficiency Product of the Year in the 2020 Smart Home Mark of Excellence Awards at CES in Las Vegas for its GENNY product.
“The annual award, presented during CES by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA),recognizes the industry’s top smart home innovations. The GENNY was also awarded a CES Best of Innovation Award in 2019.
“Genny is a “water-from-air” system for homes or offices. Use of the system does away with the need for bottled water, helping cut back on plastic use, the firm said in a statement announcing the win.
“Because GENNY creates water from air, which is an unending resource, the liquid is always available on demand, the company said. In addition, the water produced by the machine is of higher quality than that which runs through the filtration systems that are attached to municipal water lines, and the product also eliminates concerns of corroded water pipes that could lead to higher-than-normal levels of lead in drinking water, the statement said.
“Watergen’s GENNY also works as a home air purifier, circulating clean air back into the room as part of the water generation process, the company said.
“Founded in 2009 by Arye Kohavi, Watergen uses its patented GENius heat-exchange technology to create the drinking water.
“After the air is sucked in and chilled to extract its humidity, the water that forms is treated and transformed into clean drinking water. The technology uses a plastic heat exchanger rather than an aluminum one, which helps reduce costs; it also includes proprietary software that operates the devices.”
#2. A Breakthrough In Laser Defense
“Israel’s Defense Ministry announced on January 8 that a breakthrough has been made in using laser beams to thwart aerial attacks.
“According to Israel’s Channel 13, the technological development will enable the long-range targeting and stabilization of laser beams, allowing them to intercept targets at great distances.
“Dudi Auster of the Optitronics Department at the Defense Ministry said, ‘We can finally arrive at an effective laser weapons system that can cut through the iron of rockets and missiles from kilometers away.’
“The system will be tested as early as the second half of 2020 and will then be deployed near the southern border with the Gaza Strip to complement the Iron Dome.
“It was developed by the Defense Ministry in collaboration with Israeli companies Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Elbit Systems.
“The laser system will cost a great deal less per interception than Iron Dome and is capable of intercepting targets as small as drones and as large as precision missiles.
“Brig. Gen. Yaniv Rotem, head of research and development at the Defense Ministry’s Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, said, ‘We are entering a new era of energy warfare in the air, land and sea.’
“’R and D investments made in recent years place Israel among the leading countries in the field of powerful lasers,’ he added. ‘It will be a force multiplier for the IDF’s defense capabilities, whether it is air defense, border protection or the IDF’s maneuvering capabilities.’
“’In the future, we would also like to see it airborne on aircraft and even use it as an offensive weapon,’ Rotem said.
“Defense Minister Naftali Bennett commented, ‘The Israeli brain continues to lead to breakthrough innovations. The laser project will make our defense system more deadly, powerful, and advanced.’
“’This is a significant advance in strengthening the security of the State of Israel,’ he added. ‘Alongside the existing weapons of war, we have added a laser sword against our enemies in the north and south.’
“’We are moving forward with great momentum, and the message is clear: Israel has tremendous offensive and defensive capabilities,’ Bennett said. ‘Israel’s enemies are better off not testing our patience and capabilities.’
And just a dozen more, abridged for easy reading:
#3. OrCam
“The Jerusalem-based start-up, founded in 2010 by the team behind Mobileye, is leading a revolution for the blind and visually impaired. The company’s artificial intelligence wearable devices, equipped with high-quality cameras, seek to change the lives of many by empowering them to read text, recognize faces and more.”
#4. ReWalk
“Developed by quadriplegic Israeli entrepreneur Dr. Amit Goffer, ReWalk is a wearable robotic exoskeleton enabling paralyzed individuals with spinal cord injuries to stand and walk again. Providing powered hip and knee motion to users, the company’s technology is the first exoskeleton device to receive FDA clearance for personal and rehabilitation use in the United States. Earlier this year, the exoskeleton helped paralyzed veteran Terry Hannigan Vereline complete the New York City Marathon.”
#5. Iron Dome
“The Iron Dome air defense system, which first went into production in 2011, has changed and saved the lives of countless Israeli residents under rocket fire. Developed by Rafael Advanced Defense Systems and Israel Aerospace Industries, the Iron Dome intercepted over 700 rockets during 2014’s Operation Protective Edge alone. In February 2019, the United States Army purchased two Iron Dome batteries from Rafael to protect troops against aerial threats.”
#6. Drone Dome
“Rafael is also the company that has come up with the Drone Dome system, first displayed in 2016, is able to neutralize hostile drones operated by terrorists and criminals. The anti-drone technology was deployed in December 2018 at London’s Gatwick Airport by the British Army after unmanned aerial vehicles caused the UK’s second-busiest airport to completely cease operations for almost 36 hours.”
#7. StemRad
“As the United States turns its attention to advancing space exploration, a radiation protection vest developed by Tel Aviv-based StemRad could play a key role. Founded in 2011 by Dr. Oren Milstein and Daniel Levitt, the AstroRad vest offers personal protective equipment for astronauts to wear beyond low-Earth orbit, mitigating space radiation exposure outside the Earth’s magnetosphere. Developed in partnership with the Israel Space Agency and Lockheed Martin, the vest is currently being tested by NASA prior to the launch of manned deep-space missions.”
#8. 3D printed heart
Researchers at Tel Aviv University grabbed the attention of the medical world earlier this year when they “printed” the world’s first 3D vascularized, engineered heart. The development, using a patient’s own cells and biological materials, was hailed as a breakthrough for future engineering of personalized tissue and organ replacement. Within a decade, the researchers hope, organ printers will be located in hospitals worldwide.
#9. Zebra Medical Vision
As the mammoth global healthcare market rapidly embraces innovation, Shefayim-based healthcare start-up Zebra Medical Vision’s suite of diagnostic solutions is transforming the world of triage. The company’s technology has received four FDA approvals to date, using deep-learning and artificial intelligence to automatically identify medical conditions from patient scans, quickly notifying radiologists and enabling them to both effectively address and prioritize urgent cases.
#10 Revolutionary Antiviral Reusable Facemasks
“As the Wuhan coronavirus outbreak continues to spread, two Israeli companies are finalizing development of revolutionary antiviral reusable facemasks.
“’Israel has technologies that can support controlling this epidemic,’ says Liat Goldhammer-Steinberg, CTO of Sonovia in Ramat Gan.
“More than 400 people are reported dead from complications of Wuhan coronavirus, dubbed 2019-nCoV.
“The virus is spread by air and direct contact. The World Health Organization reports approximately 17,00 cases of infection since December 31. Most of the cases are in China. A few have been confirmed in 15 additional countries.
“Because there is no vaccine or treatment for 2019-nCoV, personal protective equipment is an important way to combat the transmission of the virus and avoid a pandemic.
“Disposable facemasks cannot block all pathogens and do not kill them. A used and discarded mask can even become a vector for disease as the pathogens multiply in its fibers.
“That’s why washable, reusable masks with anti-pathogen properties could provide a potent prevention tool against the 2019-nCoV and other coronaviruses that have evolved into more severe illnesses, such as SARS and MERS.
“Sonovia’s ultrasonic fabric-finishing technology, invented by two Bar-Ilan University chemistry professors, mechanically infuses antiviral, antimicrobial zinc and copper oxide nanoparticles into textiles for facemasks and other protective products.
“Sonovia recently received a European Commission Horizon 2020 grant and the technology has won several prizes in China.
11. BioBee – harmless pest control
“With its headquarters located in a kibbutz in northern Israel’s Beit Shean Valley, BioBee is now a multinational company that focuses on biological pest control. Perfecting its biotechnology since 1983 under the guidance of bug lover Akiva Falk, it aims to reduce the use of pesticides in agriculture, using the natural power of insects to make crops safer to eat and their habitat a more secure place to be.
“BioBee runs three projects simultaneously: breeding bumblebees for pollination in greenhouses, using ‘friendly insects’ like mites, wasps and beetles to attack harmful pests, and reducing the number of harmful insects by genetically modifying their ability to reproduce.”
12. Waze – a navigation device with a twist
“When Ehud Shabati first tried using a GPS, he was simultaneously delighted and disappointed.
“The engineer – a notoriously bad navigator – made it from A to B, but his journey was hindered by traffic and roadworks.
“He looked into other GPS systems and found they were all effective at guiding their users, even in remote locations, but they fell short in the same way: they couldn’t provide traffic information in real time.
“So, Shabati took matters into his own hands. The engineer mapped out his native Israel, first on his own and later with co-founders Uri Levine and Amir Shinar, aiming to make a community-based navigation device that provided road reports on the go.
“Soon, the engineers had built a community of thousands of drivers on Waze, using crowdsourcing to collect incident reports such as accidents and roadworks.
“Waze was sold to Google for USD$1.1billion in 2013, and today provides real-time traffic information to more than 50 million users
13. Elbit Systems solution to allow planes to fight fires 24/7
“Elbit Systems HyDrop solution enables, for the first time, continuous operations ‘to fight fires 24/7 and especially during the night.’
“Since the 1950s, aerial firefighting has been conducted using liquid cascade drop methods, which require firefighting sorties at low altitudes.
“Although effective, these methods are restricted to daytime-only flights because of their altitude.
“Haifa-based defense firm Elbit Systems is changing the way fires are being fought, after completing its first successful test of the HyDrop system, which allows planes to fight fires from a higher altitude and with higher precision.
“Elbit said the test took place during a field demonstration, as part of an exercise led by the Fire and Rescue Service.
“During the exercise, two Air Tractor aircraft from were directed to extinguish a burning field from as high as 150 m., which is more than four times higher than the average altitude of a standard aerial firefighting sortie, it explained.
“Using the HyDrop system, each aircraft launched 1.6 tons of 140-gram liquid pellets in a computed ballistic trajectory, achieving a precise hit with saturation of one to two liters per square meter.”
14. New Israeli tech prevents terror attack and water theft
“The innovative start-up Hydrantech has launched an electric bracelet that can be attached to the nozzle of a fire hydrant to detect theft and terror.
“Hydrantech has found an innovative way to detect unusual water flows.
“Dovik Barkay recalls that a few years ago in Safed, ‘someone stole some gasoline, but the police caught up to him. He couldn’t just throw the gasoline away on the street – it would smell – so he found a hydrant and poured the gasoline inside. For three months, people in Safed couldn’t drink the water,’ he told Israel21c.
“Barkay’s innovative tech addresses that exact problem: How can we monitor water flows so as to prevent water theft and terror attacks that would involve poisoning water?
“He recently launched Hydrantech, a startup, based in northern Israel’s Ramat Yishay.
“Barkay has degrees in law, industrial engineering and medical device development. This is not his first attempt at developing water-tech, but Hydrantech is based on a very innovative idea.
“Hydrantech has developed a smart, electronic bracelet that can be attached to the nozzle of a fire hydrant to monitor water coming in and outt. Each Hydrantech bracelet has a cellular transmitter that communicates its status to a central control hub. The sensors in the bracelet can “feel” the flow of water, and data is sent to the Hydrantech cloud where software interprets whether water is moving out or in. The Hydrantech interface runs on a regular web browser; if there’s any problem, an alarm will appear in the browser and on mobile devices.
“The technology will therefore warn a city’s authorities in real time if the water presents any security issues – whether it is because water is potentially being stolen or because there’s a possibility that the water has been poisoned.
“Hydrantech technology has already been launched in different Israeli municipalities, including Haifa, Petah Tikva, Safed, Rosh Ha’ayin and Tel Aviv. The fee of about $3 per hydrant covers the bracelet, the monitoring software, cellular service, battery changes and software upgrades.
“Hydrantech has many plans for the future, including developing the technology so it can also detect underground water leakage, measure temperature and humidity, and even provide data about earthquakes.”
Okay, Israel, we get the idea. There’s no keeping up with you. We’re plumb tuckered out. Mind if we pull up a chair and set a spell?
Hugo says
The Israelis have made many contributions to the 20th and 21st century. However Watergen is just another in a long line of scams based on the same technology.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WopuF9vD7KE
gravenimage says
This company has been around for almost ten years now, and unlike some their claims are easy enough to test. Tell these firefighters that this is a hoax:
“Battling the California Fires With Water Made From The Air”
https://www.watergen.com/news_item/battling-the-california-fires-with-water-made-from-the-air/
Jayell says
I haven’t had time to read this article closely, but surely dehumidifiers have been ‘making water from air” as a by-product or decades? The only real difference is that here we”re using it rather than disposing of it. But that’s not to deny the genius of seeing the usefulness of something that others would dismiss as of little value. That’s intelligence for you.
Dovid says
Every couple years a water from air company makes the news. See thunderf00t on youtube for the physics of this rediculous idea. Its gotta stop lol
Frank Anderson says
D., I did. Was impressed by his Waterseer video.
I have experienced similar self-deception on both legal and engineering issues by people who watch a little television but never go to school and study. I never stopped being amazed by people who would come to my office and tell me how to do legal things that I had been doing with a measure of success for years, because of their television education. They see a short story on television and think it shows everything, not recognizing that the story omits totally all economic analysis. “A fool and his money are soon parted” is still rampant and applicable today as thousands of years ago.
Thank you for telling us about Thunderfoot.
Frank Anderson says
Many inventions and innovations from Israel deserve highest respect and praise. (Iron Dome, Cell Phones. . .)
Part of studying Mechanical Engineering is the study of heat and refrigeration. The process of using mechanical refrigeration to dehumidify air has been part and parcel of standard air conditioning for more or less 100 years. Using the water thus obtained may indeed be an innovation. But, like many innovations, cost appears to be ignored. It takes energy to run the fans to move the air and compressors to cool the air to the “dew point” where the water condenses out to be collected. The water must be purified to remove any contaminants suspended in the air. Then pumps are needed to move the water for use. How much energy does this take? At what cost? How much does the machinery cost to perform this “innovation”? How much maintenance is required at what cost? How long will the equipment last before needing to be retired and replaced? What is the total cost of the water obtained, especially in the dry desert climates where water is so rare and important? The amount of water in air is incredibly small, meaning huge amounts of air must be cooled to obtain meaningful quantities of water.
Many alternative projects urgently need honest questions and honest answers before billions and trillions of dollars are thrown down sinkholes of well-intentioned gestures that rob sound projects which are less popular.
Example: The waste heat from a single 1000 Mw steam plant (gas, coal or nuclear) can desalt approximately 1000 million gallons of ocean water per day.
My first full time job over 50 years ago was for an electric utility. I have reason to believe these questions are sound. Any project or device that can offer a beneficial and profitable return should be pursued. Any which depends on emotional popularity should be avoided.
Theo Crater says
It’s sad to see Hugh Fitzgerald fall for the WaterGen scam, which is merely yet another in a long line of similar scams – every one of which can be practically PROVEN to be scam with a few minutes of calculations by anyone familiar with the thermodynamics of water condensation. Far from being “Energy Efficient,” the cost of producing water with this sort of glorified humidifier will turn out to be greater than the cost of shipping it from another continent! But the nitwits who regularly award prizes for these guaranteed-to-fail “innovations” (which have nothing new about them) never bother to do any calculations. The youtuber called Thunderf00t has posted many videos “BUSTING” many of these scams, but there are more of them, always garnering praise and prizes and eager funding from gullible people who should have known better.
marc says
@Theo Crater “It’s sad to see Hugh Fitzgerald fall for the WaterGen scam”
it is not a scam, but it is not a replacement for regular supplies either, the military are very happy to use it in hostile environments, one can be dropped in easily, then there is no need for risking lives bringing in tankers of water, yes, cost prohibitive in most cases, but invaluable in others.
Does it work, yes, does it generate water from air at 250Wh per liter as they claim, not the day I saw it, but that was an arid desert, but it was still turning air into water at a good rate. Personally I didn’t like the taste, it is distilled water which tastes odd, no one else seemed to care much.
I worked on an allied project (irrigation tech) with a few of the same team at Rehovot Uni, they really do amazing stuff there, 3 out of 4 projects originating there are life changing on a huge scale.
gravenimage says
Thank you, Marc.
Frank Anderson says
marc, we do not know if you have the math to follow through the engineering calculations. There are 3.76 liters per gallon. At 250 watt hours per liter, which you seem to agree is low, that is almost 1000 watt hours or 1 kilowatt hour per gallon. During the summer in my region, residential electric rates are 15 cents per kilowatt hour. So that is what? 150 dollars per thousand gallons. Local water rates in my part of the state (US) are 7 dollars per thousand gallons.
Looking at generating the electricity to run the machine, IF we were looking at the most efficient coal fired steam plant I ever read about 40 years ago (TVA’s Watts Bar Steam Plant), before all the scrubbers and precipitators, and soon to be carbon dioxide capture devices were added, it took 10,000 BTU, or about a pound of extremely high quality coal, to generate a kilowatt hour of electricity. It now takes about a pound and a quarter to as much as a pound and a half.
BUT a portable generator using gasoline, diesel fuel or jet fuel, takes about twice to three times the heat to make the same kilowatt hour of electricity. All hydrocarbons contain about 19,000 BTU’s per pound. So it is fair to estimate that the on-site generator needs about a pound and a half of hydrocarbon fuel at the site, plus whatever additional fuel is needed to get the fuel to the generator. An honest ballpark would be 2 pounds of fuel total input for every gallon (app 8.3 pounds) of water.
A gallon of gasoline/kerosene/diesel weighs about 7 pounds. In some places it costs 10 dollars, especially in harsh military settings. 7 pounds times 19,000 BTU’s equals 133.000 BTU’s. So at 13,300 BTU per dollar, the fuel cost alone is about 3 dollars per gallon of water.
Then there is the first cost, maintenance cost, operating cost, replacement cost, any taxes or insurance costs to consider. This looks like a great idea when spending someone else’s money, but not mine. Not just this project, but many, what may be technically possible is not economically sensible.
gravenimage says
Frank, I don’t think anyone is saying that WaterGen is the solution for everyday cost-effective water usage–clearly it is not, certainly at this point.
But as emergency water generation in fire zones, or to supply water for a small group of people moving through a water-less desert, it can be a god send. Just because it will not replace Hetch Hetchy here in California any time soon *does not* mean that WaterGen is useless.
Frank Anderson says
GI, figures don’t lie; but liars figure. I was working for an electric utility before and during the oil embargo of the 1970’s, when the cost of wholesale electricity rose from 1 cent to 3 cents per kilowatt hour. That rise was so rapid that the average billing plan for residential customers could not keep up and allowed many customers to build huge balances before they changed locations and left the balances for others to pay.
At that time FERC issued a report comparing all sources of energy for cost and market impact. I obtained and read a copy of that report, which has since been lost in my many moves. To my knowledge, that was the LAST time any righteous accounting and engineering analysis was made on “alternative energy” options. Instead hundreds of billions of dollars have been thrown at costly, inefficient and wasteful projects that could not stand basic analysis.
One of the basic reasons the Soviet Union fell was its ignorance of honest cost accounting. The book MiG25 Pilot touches heavily on the monthly lies upon lies that finally killed the scheme. We are seeing the same kind of rampant lying today where costs don’t matter because The Government is paying the bill. Well, we are The Government, as are our children and grandchildren.
I earned a B.S. degree in Mechanical Engineering. My grade point average in Engineering subjects was 3.78/4. My Senior Year I had 19 courses, 18 A’s and 1 B. In 7 of the courses my grades were so high they had to be ignored for any other student to receive an A. I am 2 15 quarter hour course sequences short of a double major in Electrical Engineering. I worked in Engineering functions 5 years before law school and 1 year after. The numbers I estimate for the costs of this activity are honest estimates. When the fuel cost alone translates to 3 dollars per gallon; and the fuel cost is probably less than a third of the total cost, that water is expensive. Ignoring the expense will not make it go away.
gravenimage says
Frank, I am in no way challenging your acumen in either engineering or economics.
I just consider WaterGen a useful invention for extreme situations where short-term generating of water is of great importance, even if it is too expensive of use on a regular basis.
Certainly, inventions that are not cost-effective for all contingencies can still be of great use in certain circumstances.
Moreover, many inventions are initially far too expensive to use widely, but in time and with economy of scale or with further innovation prove to be of wider use–this has been true for things like the automobile and the personal computer. This may still be true of WaterGen.
marc says
Frank, the installation I saw in use was powered by some pretty impressive solar panels, this was near Ein Gedi which is incredibly arid but very sunny, the fact it was producing any water seemed remarkable.
Frank Anderson says
Marc, sunlight is free. But nobody has published what solar power costs. In large installations, therefore “most economical” the electricity it produces if honestly calculated is about 1 dollar per kilowatt hour, compared to the 15 cents I mentioned earlier. The Total Cost of Owning a solar installation is large. Yes, I spent 2 years after law school studying accounting and was forced to quit when the auditing professor was required to teach flatly illegal rules of non-existent confidentiality before Enron, WorldCom, Adelphia, Tyco and Mutual Savings Life. If I had written what was required to pass the final course in the sequence, and the bar had gotten hold of it, I think I would have lost my license to practice law.
If 15 cent electricity translates into 150 dollars per thousand gallons, 1 dollar electricity means 1 thousand dollars per thousand gallons (just for energy). Whose money is being spent, Oil Sheiks? Costs matter. When is water worth 1 dollar per gallon just considering the energy cost?
Several years ago, I read where Israel agreed to pay 1 dollar per kilowatt hour for alternative energy. I would hate to pay that here, but see the day if new nuclear plants are added as some wish. Solar and Wind cost about 3 times nuclear, and are available about a third or less of the time, where nuclear is good for about 85 percent.
Frank Anderson says
marc. I hope you see that my comments are directed at the “device” and not you. This is outrageous nonsense. Sure, it takes water from air. BUT how much air must flow through the device to remove the desired quantity of water depends on something called a psychrometric chart. I spent 3 quarters in engineering school to learn about this area of mechanical engineering. The amount of water contained in a cubic foot of air in the desert is amazingly small. In order to condense what water there is present, the temperature of the air must be lowered to the dew point. THEN 1100 BTU’s per pound of water must be removed to condense the water from vapor to liquid.
Unless solar panels track the sun, their maximum output over a year’s time is about 2500 to 3000 hours. A year is 8766 hours. The machine and panels are idle for about 2/3rds of the time. Electricity from solar panels costs about 25 cents per kilowatt hour in US residential applications. In mobile field applications where the panels must be rugged and capable of moving, maintained because of damage, and kept clean enough to maintain output, the cost is higher.
The equipment to do this “miracle” is something to demand true Total Cost of Ownership accounting for valuing the cost and benefits. Looking at the picture and estimating the dimensions of the unit, it might produce a few gallons of drinking water each day at a cost which would shock any wallet. It is probably the last option before dehydration and death to consider. Some amazing things can be done when cost does not matter.
marc says
All Good Frank.
Sounds like it’s something you’re passionate about. Me, I am not an engineer (cisco certified internet engineer hardly counts).
But the device I saw around 6 years ago which I understand was a prototype for use by the IDF was impressive, noisy (sounded like hundreds of web server fans which i’m used to) so massive airflow. The solar panels were static, seem to remember being told there was 500 square meters of them but they were meant to be the most efficient at the time, but they powerd a lot of other stuff.
Maybe some of the technology has improved in efficiency?
I know my mum had her bungalow roof covered in panels (cost UK18k), no battery so still on grid, in Cornwall UK. she sells power back to the grid at 10p a kw, and when she needs it it’s 11p. she pretty much breaks even every year. She lives close to the windfarm in camelford (sounds like a total lose). I hear these panels have a life expectancy of 15-20 years, they paid for themselves and it’s only been 8.
not sure if you are aware, in israel, to get building permission in most cases, you need to build solar panels in. pretty much every home has a water pre-heater on the roof. There is no way Israelis would waste money on a scam.
What I do know is I needed to switch my bitcoin antminers off here, I pay 10c a Kw, and I can’t farm coins fast enough to cover cost since they are forcing us to pay this carbon tax theft thing here. Thankfully the antminers paid for themselves in the first year
Frank Anderson says
marc, one of the major reasons I am the “charming” person I am today is that my adopted mother worked after my adopted father’s death from 4 am to 10 pm 7 days a week for 13 years running a boarding house and working full time as a telephone operator. She fell for every con and scam that came within a mile of her, until I got older and learned enough to get her to look more carefully at the nonsense (I am being VERY polite because of the venue) that was thrown at her by crooks. I have a number of times made errors of my own that hurt me profoundly and taught me lessons of enormous expense. I have helped many clients who have similar disappointments to recover from past misery and avoid future errors.
Many people work too hard for what they have to throw it away or have it stolen by con artists.
I AM my brother’s keeper.
JOHN ALLEN says
The salient humor of Hugh’s piece: Israel is “innovating” on our dime. Good for them. Of course they’re a close ally and friend, a hedge against Islamic Supremacy. But at what point does an ally start reciprocating? When will they not “need” our 2 Billion dollars a year? I think we know the answer: Never.
Rarely says
Perhaps some of the innovations have been worth the “investment” on their own. Perhaps not but it’s hard to argue that the foreign aid hasn’t been worthwhile.
Frank Anderson says
J.A. an island of 6 million Jews in a sea of 1.5 or so billion (US standard) muslims who wish them dead? There could easily be a time when the flow of wealth, not necessarily measured in money, reverses. US government subsidies are probably paltry when compared to private charitable contributions. Israel needs it. It is not wasted. And UNLIKE the billions thrown at the “Palestinians” NONE of it goes in the pockets of corrupt “leaders”.
Hugh Fitzgerald says
Israel supplies the American government with the fruit of its labors, in drone technology, cyberwarfare, anti-missile systems, AI, as in many other areas. The staggering size of Israel’s investments (and achievements) are noted in a recent piece: “With just one-tenth of 1 percent of the world’s population, Israel’s share of global investment in cyber security is approaching the 20-percent mark. As for AI, a leading Israeli scientist with close connections to the government recently shared data with one of us showing that the number of AI startups in Israel again makes up close to 20 percent of the world’s total, likely eclipsing China and second only to the United States.
“In other words, Israel is today a technological superpower of the first order, one with a particularly strong aptitude in defense innovation. America has a deep interest in making sure it is able to exploit fully those extraordinary capabilities—and that China can’t.”
Israelis are deeply grateful for the support they have received from the United States, and I suspect that if the full extent of Israel’s contributions to American defense were known to the public, there would be a collective sigh of relief and even pride that the American aid to Israel, which should be seen as an investment in the scientific genius of the people in that tiny country, has generated dividends for America, from Israeli advances, which have been, and will continue to be, colossal.
gravenimage says
Spot on, Frank Anderson and Hugh Fitzgerald.
James Lincoln says
Strongly agree, gravenimage…
Jake says
Most Millenials – and actually most of the Democratic party – believe that technology comes from magic and it will always be here on demand, always advancing, no matter how many obstacles government puts in its path. Israel is not accorded any credit for its contributions and a Somali goat herder makes just as great a contribution as the discoverer of the Polio vaccine. If the Left ever takes power here they will be in for a very rude awakening.
gravenimage says
Okay, Israel, What Have You Done For Us Lately?
…………………..
Yes–the innovation of Israelis is astonishing–in a nation of fewer people than New Jersey.
If you factor in other inventions by Jewish people working in other nations, this is even more remarkable.
By the way, I am enjoying another Israeli invention–Soda Stream, where you can make your own mineral water and sodas–as we speak.
J.A. says
To F.A.
It’s a given that the money we send to the PA, Hamas and others is ill-spent; also no question that Israel “appreciates” the help. There’s no comparison, of course, in the legitimacy of Israeli aid vice the other. But you didn’t address my overriding question: at what point should countries be expected to stand on their own?
elee says
Never, if they are Muslim. Remember, kafirs work save and invest. Muslims collect jizya. This is the eternal revealed order of things per consensus of the ulema.
Frank Anderson says
J.A. I have my differences with the local Jewish community; but still have the highest respect for almost everything connected with Israel. Having spent more than 20 years listening to all manner of Israeli accomplishments that become beneficial to the US, I think we get ample profit from the US money sent to keep Israel Jewish. Israel is a great country, for all its faults and problems. If it were located anywhere else I daydream about the incredible things that would be possible in the absence of the immersion to the Islamic death threats that are carried out regularly. I regret the fixation on a piece of land that holds them in danger.
One of the most important reforms of Judaism was forced by the destruction of the Temple in 70 CE/AD after what I am told was a 200 year theological conflict between the Priests (High and otherwise) and Rabbis. The Rabbis won. The Rabbis taught that prayer and not animal sacrifices brought the presence and pleasure of God. Since that day there has not been a sacrificial altar or priest anywhere in Judaism; and I have hosted a number of guests at my local Temple who wanted to see our sacrificial altar.
If honest accounting were applied, I THINK it would show we could call any payment to Israel today as a fair value exchange instead of a dole for the benefits that Israel provides us. Those who oppose Israel’s existence would never be satisfied until it is gone and all Jews are exterminated. I am certainly opposed to that view.
I pondered Iron Dome when our people were in Vietnam being rocketed nightly. Israel not only pondered the problem but made it happen decades later. It would not surprise me if an Iron Dome unit were deployed in the US Embassy in Iraq. If we must have people there for muslim target practice, at least we can provide some measure of protection for those we treasure.
marc says
I always wondered if this innovation didn’t come as a response to survive in such a hostile location. Jews in the diaspora like me don’t seem to be as talented in these areas of innovation. Sure, plenty of Surgeons, but not so much the designing new medical equipment if you see what I mean.
Frank Anderson says
marc, I recall 2 real live engineers, one visiting from Australia to help start a local shipyard, and the other a double PhD at the Temple. I beg you to understand that if cost is ignored, many things are possible. But sooner or later somebody has to pay the bill. If we were talking about getting water from the Marian atmosphere, where a gallon of Earth water might cost millions, it might be a bargain. But please be careful in taking hype without demanding honest answers to critical questions. The basic problem of all economics is to direct limited resources to the most efficient use in the face of unlimited desires. Frank
gravenimage says
Thanks, Frank–agreed.
Marc, I take your point. But I would add that many Jewish people in the diaspora are incredibly innovative, as well–Just look at the all of the Jewish people who have been awarded Nobel prizes in the sciences in the US, Europe, and the rest of the West.
I have not researched every individual, but probably at least a quarter of the Nobel Lauréats at my own alma mater the University of California at Berkeley have been Jewish–maybe more.
What about the cure for Polio–both Drs. Salk and Sabin? And there’s more just in medicine–the Cardiac Pacemaker, Chemotherapy, the Kidney Dialysis machine, and Recombinant DNA. What about the huge advances in tech–especially the computer and internet?
Incidentally, Marc, I think that tech savvy people like yourself are very much part of this–there is seldom innovation without a strong educated base of people with skills in the field.
Frank Anderson says
GI, according to a Rabbi, there are approximately 16 million Jews in the world. There is a total of about 7000 million people. Those 16 million have been awarded 30 percent of the Nobel prizes. Slightly more than 2 tenths of 1 percent of the population has been awarded 30 percent of the prizes. sarc/on-Slightly overrepresented!. sarc/off
gravenimage says
Yes Frank–amazing!
elee says
Jews and innovations in the same paragraph, Muslims must be livid. If al Lah wanted you to have water hed make it rain. Your dehydrating children? Nothing is born or dies but by the will of al Lah. This water business is almost as kufaar as vaccinations.
Dhanush Dhari Misra says
To maintain their religious purity so that they are not punished by Allah the Muslims must stop using any product made out of patents taken by the Jews or by any other Jewish invention. All Jews, Christians and other non Muslims must forthwith ban export of such items to any of the Muslim countries to protect the Muslims from the wrath of Allah!
jca reid says
Well Done! Not only that but in agriculture as well. They actually give food to their surrounding enemies! You get the imams from the pulpits in the Mosques & in their streets & parks bellowing out, “Death to Israel& the West! Exterminate the Jews & the Kuffar! It is Allah’s will!” Then,….. they sneak off to the West , or Israel for heart surgery & other major medical operations. Strange that these ‘superior’ beings cannot do it in their own countries. I read in a biographical book by Bridgit Gabriel. she was in Israel for 5-6years. A section on her stay in Israel was most illuminating. She NEVER saw a Muslim read a book or actually use a waste paper bin, preferring to through his garbage onto the street, even though he was standing right next to a bin! Sums it all up really.
James Lincoln says
jca reid,
Also consider the “fire balloons” that the so-called “Palestinians” fly into Israel destroying crops and food. The same food that the Israelis give to them! Insanity!
Keep in mind, there’s at least a 20 point IQ advantage of Israelis versus their surrounding muslim inbred “neighbors”…
gravenimage says
+1
gravenimage says
Here’s Hugh Fitzgerald’s litany of “Palstinian” contributions:
https://www.jihadwatch.org/2020/02/okay-palestinians-what-have-you-done-for-us-lately
somehistory says
And yet…
This is said to be something “activists” can use against Israel.
https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/world/un-report-identifies-112-companies-doing-business-with-israeli-settlements/ar-
“The U.N.’s Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in Geneva said it had reasonable grounds to identify 112 businesses — most based in Israel but several from the United States and Europe — that have business ties with the settlements. The companies range from multinational cereal giant General Mills to an Israeli bakery chain.
…compiled at the request of the U.N. Human Rights Council following a 2016 U.N. resolution passed at the behest of Arab countries. The resolution mandated the naming of companies that were bolstering settlements in the West “
Frank Anderson says
S.H. It would not surprise me to learn we share similar opinions of the UN and “activists”. Israel is tough; and can take the heat, as it has since 1948 and will until . . .
gravenimage says
Somehistory, thanks for the head’s up. I couldn’t get your link to work, but I also found the story here:
“U.N. report names 112 companies doing business with Israeli settlements”
https://www.reuters.com/article/us-israel-palestinians-un-companies/un-report-names-112-companies-doing-business-with-israeli-settlements-idUSKBN206234
Of course, I’d be *more* likely to patronize these companies. I just wish they had a list.