Israel 2022

Israel - 2022 -

ISRAEL & SERBIA

CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF RE-ESTABLISHED RELATIONS

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NATURAL CRATERS

5 out of 7 natural craters in the world are located in Israel.

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LOTS OF HUMMUS

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Over a million pounds of hummus is eaten in Israel every year.

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FREE BOOKS

First launched in Israel in 2011, bus-stop minilibraries, offering books free of charge, have inspired similar initiatives in other countries.

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NEW TYPE OF HONEY

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Israeli students won an international award for producing real honey without bees, using a bacterium programmed to “learn” how to make honey.

NALAGA’AT THEATRE

Israel is home to the world’s only theater company comprised entirely of deaf and blind actors.

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THE OPPOSITE Israel is bordered by snowy peaks at one end and a desert beach on the other.

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LONG LIFE

Life expectancy in Israel is among the highest in the world at 82 years.

ISRAEL 2022

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INTERVIEW

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CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF REESTABLISHED RELATIONS H.E. YAHEL VILAN

The Israeli Ambassador to Serbia

Indeed, relations between our two peoples are much more long-lasting and have never been disrupted. Serbia is not a neighbour of Israel in a geographical sense but a neighbour in the heart n his interview, the Israeli Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Yahel Vilan, speaks about marking the three decades since the re-establishment of the Serbian-Israeli relations, as well as the cooperation between the two countries, history, tourism and his life in Serbia.

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What events is the Embassy planning to organize in 2022 to celebrate the anniversary of the re-establishment of the Israeli-Serbian relations?

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The initial event was held in March when the embassy hosted a cocktail to mark 45 years since the Israeli basketball club Maccabi won its first European Champion title in Belgrade. Our main event was the concert by the Makris Symphony Orchestra, conducted by the Israeli maestro Nir Brand, held at Kolarac, on the occasion of the 74th Independence Day of Israel.

For the last 18 years, the embassy

has also been supporting Belgrade’s Dance Festival. This year, we had a famous Israeli dance ensemble, Bat Sheva, with its Three Performances by Ohad Naharin performing in Belgrade and Novi Sad. We are extremely happy to see how sports connect our youth too. This June, over 100 young Israeli basketball

SERBIA’S LAW ON RESTITUTION TO THE VICTIMS OF THE HOLOCAUST WITH NO LIVE SUCCESSORS ADOPTED IN 2017 SERVES AS A MODEL TO OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

players, both boys and girls, will have a chance to play basketball and get to know Belgrade by taking part in the Basketball Summer Cup. As part of our zealous donation activity, the Israeli Agency for International Development and Support, Mashav, has donated a valuable Blood Bank to the Clinical Center of Niš. This is the first Blood Bank in a hospital in Serbia which will raise the quality of medical service and operational capacity of the Clinical Center.

As for the economic events, we will be having a Renewable Energy conference this month, the Israeli Cyber day, the Women in Cyber Conference, and the Day of Israel in Kragujevac with Hackathon on the topic of Promotion of the Jewish heritage of Kragujevac, together with the City of Kragujevac and Business Incubation Center. All of the events will celebrate 30 years of diplomatic relations between our two countries.

The friendship between the two peoples dates back much earlier than the founding of the State of Israel. Could you give us your take on the history of our friendly relations?

Indeed, relations between our two peoples are much more long-lasting and have never been disrupted. Serbia is not a neighbour of Israel in a geographical sense but a neighbour in the heart.

Officially, the diplomatic relations between ex-Yugoslavia and the State of Israel were severed after the Six Days War in 1967, by the decision of the Government of Yugoslavia of that time. They were renewed on the level of Charge d’Affaires in autumn 1991, and in spring 1992, the Embassy of Yugoslavia was reopened in Tel Aviv. The first Yugoslav Ambassador to present his credentials in 1997 was the legendary Mirko Stefanović. Doctor David Albala, a Serbian patriot and a fervent Zionist who embodied the historic crossroad in our parallel journeys, was one of the most prominent figures in the shared Serbian-Israeli history.

Some 105 years ago, on December 27th 1917, Zionism and Serbian national aspirations converged and resulted in Serbia being the first country in the world to endorse the Balfour Declaration. The founding father of the Zionism movement, Theodor Herzl, whose father was born in Zemun, is another important figure in Jewish history that connects Serbia and Israel.

In August 1897, Theodor Herzl convened and chaired the first Zionist Congress in Basel. This event is considered a milestone in establishing a state based on the right to self-determination for the Jewish people in their historical homeland. On the occasion of the historic visit of the Israeli President Rivlin to Serbia in 2018, the two Presidents

unveiled a street named after Theodor Herzl at the address where his father lived. Serbia’s Law on Restitution to the victims of the Holocaust with no live successors adopted in 2017 serves as a model to other European countries and is highly praised in Israel and among the largest Jewish organizations.

OUR RELATIONS ARE TRULY BASED ON THE VERY STRONG BONDS BETWEEN SERBS AND JEWS HERE IN SERBIA Just over half a year ago, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia opened its office in Jerusalem. Why, do you think, this representation is important?

We see it as a valuable step forward in economic relations. It is the seventh representative office of the Chamber abroad aimed at expanding and deepening economic relations between Israel and Serbia, especially in areas of innovation, entrepreneurship and hitech. The office is very active in connecting two ecosystems so we hope to see tangible fruits of the joint effort in boosting our economic relations across different sectors.

Israeli companies have been investing in Serbia. Which economic segments do they usually invest the most in?

What do they find appealing in Serbia, that is, what does the Embassy of Israel in Serbia advise them mostly about?

Real estate investments are the flagship of Israeli investments in Serbia.

With more than EUR 2 billion invested in completed and ongoing projects such as office parks, retail parks, shopping malls, and residential and mixeduse premises, Israel is a leading real estate investor in the country. Our companies have been pioneers in launching concepts of office parks, retail parks and condominium residences, thus levelling up the quality of life for the people of Belgrade and Serbia. Israeli companies did invest in other sectors as well such as precise castings for turbojets, coffee production and packaging, transportation, renewable energy, IT services and other.

Every time I go and meet with Israeli investors like BIG who is enlarging their presence in the country with new developments or AFI who is developing new projects in Belgrade or any other, I’m witnessing their overwhelming optimism on economic perspectives of Serbia.

Besides organizing specific events and conferences in bringing together Serbian and Israeli businesses the embassy is at the disposal for providing various information required when entering the Serbian market. Our efforts are also focused on diversifying the portfolio of Israeli investments in the country.

Serbia and Israel also cooperate on the Green Agenda, i.e. green energy, energy transition and carbonization process. How will this cooperation develop further?

Cooperation in the field of energy is on the rise, especially in the last 2-3 years.

We signed an MOU on Cooperation in Green Energy. Serbia has an ambitious goal of achieving 40% of energy from re-

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Real estate investments are the flagship of Israeli investments in Serbia.

ISRAEL 2022

INVESTMENTS

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newable sources by 2040 and new regulations (laws and bylaws) which make the investment environment favorable.

Israeli companies are eager to contribute to this goal by investing primarily in wind and solar energy. In Israel and around the world, there is a growing awareness of the importance of the shift to renewable energy – energy that originates from harnessing solar radiation, wind, biogas/biomass, earth’s heat and other sustainable natural resources.

Reducing dependency on imported fuel contributes to the energy independence of any state. For Israel as an electric island – not connected to any grid, this is of strategic importance!

Together with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia and the Association of Renewable Energy of Serbia, this month we will hold a conference called 'Renewable Energy: Serbia's Potential – Opportunities for Israeli companies'.

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As many as 40,000 Israeli tourists came to Serbia in 2017, which is a record number to this day. Now, as we are near the end of the pandemic, what do you think will happen with tourist visits? What is the most popular tourist destination in Serbia for Israeli tourists?

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With the introduction of Israir’s and Arkia’s flights in the autumn of 2016, we saw a dramatic increase in the number of Israeli tourists going to Serbia which reached its peak in 2017, as you have mentioned. The pandemic has definitely brought these figures down and we do expect to see a recovery in the upcoming period, especially with the relaunch of direct flights.

Belgrade and Novi Sad remain the most visited cities but we do have quite a few tourist groups visiting Zlatibor and Tara, according to the information from local travel agencies that have organized their stay. Upon resuming direct flights, we hope that the number of Israeli tourists in Serbia will match the pre-pandemic one.

What are the current relations between our two countries like? What moments would you like to single out since your arrival in Serbia?

IN ISRAEL AND AROUND THE WORLD, THERE IS A GROWING AWARENESS OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE SHIFT TO RENEWABLE ENERGY As I mentioned in my first answer, luckily our relations are truly based on the very strong bonds between Serbs and Jews here in Serbia which paved the way for the friendship between our nations and countries in the past 30 years.

Within this positive context, one could not ignore the fact that the last two years were not among the best, for very obvious reasons. And yet, I must say that for me, my strongest lesson from that period is very positive. I am proud to say that this special friendship between our people, which is way deeper and stronger than our common interests, has prevailed and I can now only look forward with great optimism to the years ahead.

Alongside the political stability, which I wish for both countries and the end of the pandemic, I’m confident we’ll be able to achieve great success in what I believe is our main mission here – to translate this amazing friendship into much more tangible achievements in all aspects of life - political, economic, cultural and other. 

INTERVIEW

BENEFITTING FROM EACH OTHER'S EXPERIENCES IN PROMOTING TOURISM YOEL RAZVOZOV

Israeli Tourism Minister

Israeli tourists started to discover Serbia for several reasons – direct flights, geographical proximity, and of course, Serbia is a beautiful country with very welcoming people e spoke with Mr. Yoel Razvozov, the Israeli Tourism Minister, about direct flights between Israel and Serbia, the new tourist season and the attractions that the Israeli tourists can visit in Serbia.

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During your visit to Belgrade, you announced the re-launch of the direct flight from Belgrade to Tel Aviv, which happened on April 8. When will Israel launch direct flights to Serbia?

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ISRAEL OFFICIALLY OPENED ITS BORDER FOR INCOMING TOURISM IN MARCH 2022

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Indeed, as I announced during my visit, the Israeli airline, Arkia, re-launched direct flights from Tel-Aviv to Belgrade on April 8. I believe that this was the right decision, since the global situation with COVID has improved significantly and Israel has re-opened for incoming tourism. I hope that Air Serbia will also follow in these footsteps and re-launch its flights to Tel-Aviv since direct flights are the key to the development of economy, tourism and cultural ties between countries.

You also pointed out then that you were interested in improving tourism cooperation with Serbia. Where are the biggest opportunities for making progress in this segment?

As you know, Israelis love to travel and discover new destinations. Before the outbreak of COVID, Israeli tourists started to discover Serbia for several reasons

– direct flights, geographical proximity, and of course, Serbia is a beautiful country with very welcoming people. I think that your country can also serve as a regional hub for Israelis to visit other countries in the Balkan region. Serbia has a rich Jewish history which is also very attractive to Israeli tourists. As you know, the ancestors of our Foreign Minister, Yair Lapid, are originally from

Novi Sad, which I had a chance to visit on my recent visit to Serbia.

Additionally, we can definitely explore ways to develop cooperation on sustainable tourism or gastronomic tourism which has become very popular among travellers from both sides.

You furthermore underlined that the people and government of Israel remained committed to preserving and solidifying the traditionally good friendship with Serbia. What is the best way to do that?

Well, I might not be objective when I say that tourism is the best way to do that.

Tourism is based on people-to-people relations and that's why when we invest in tourism, we invest in the prosperity of our people and our countries. There is a growing number of Israeli companies that have expressed interest in operating in Serbia and that's fantastic. I can tell you that on my visit to Belgrade, one of the topics we discussed with Minister Matić was our cooperation in innovative technologies. Generally speaking, there are many areas for cooperation that can be promoted.

What are your plans for increasing tourist circulation?

Now that the pandemic is behind us and tourism is back on its feet, people are looking for new destinations. This is the best time for Serbian travellers to discover Israel. Israel is amazing! There are the holy sites in Jerusalem and the vibrant scene and the beaches of Tel Aviv. In just a few days you can visit the Dead Sea and the Sea of Galilee,

THERE IS A GROWING NUMBER OF ISRAELI COMPANIES THAT HAVE EXPRESSED INTEREST IN OPERATING IN SERBIA AND THAT'S FANTASTIC the desert in the South or the mountains up North. I would like to use this opportunity to invite your readers and their families to come and see what Israel is all about!

The agreement signed in Belgrade envisages the exchange of know-how in cultural and religious tourism. What

do these types of tourism entail and what potential do they have?

Religious tourists have a substantial share in the total number of tourists visiting Israel. The Holy Land is not only frequented by Jewish people but also Christians and Muslims. Cultural tourism is also an important reason to visit Israel. There are more museums in Israel per person than in any other country in the world. It is important to share these experiences and I think that Israel and Serbia both can benefit from learning from each other's experiences in promoting tourism in their respective countries.

The war in Ukraine has affected tourism in many countries. Has it also affected tourism relations between Serbia and Israel?

Israel officially opened its border for incoming tourism in March 2022. In April this year, we had around 200,000 tourists, which is a very good number. Nevertheless, tourism in Israel was indeed affected by the war in Ukraine. For instance, we don't have tourists coming from Russia or Ukraine, which means that we need to look for new opportunities and explore new markets. 

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INTERVIEW

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SUCCESS IN CONNECTING COMPANIES ALEKSANDAR NIKOLIĆ

Director of the Representative Office of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia in Israel and Honorary Consul of the Republic of Serbia to the State of Israel

Business contacts and already established cooperation between the companies of the two countries impose a comprehensive presentation of our IT sector’s capacity in this Middle Eastern country

e have talked with Aleksandar Nikolić, Director of the Representative Office of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia’s Representation in Israel, about the economic cooperation between the two countries, progress, successes and plans.

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You have said that economic cooperation with Israel is unique. How so?

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This Mediterranean Levant country is neither a neighbour of Serbia, nor is it among the most populous countries in the wider geographical environment.

Also, Israel is not a completely unknown market to us and is experiencing exponential momentum. Economic cooperation with Israel is a concept that, determined by Serbia's national priorities, presupposes evolving into a factor and a partner in excellence. Following the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS) opening its Representative Office in Israel, our country has joined the most advanced countries, which are systematically working in Israel on connecting innovative and high-tech companies, as well as master

the mechanisms of know-how transfer from academic and scientific institutions. Israel has been widely identified as a start-up nation. This supports the assumptions of Serbia further evolving into a regional eco-system hub, something that the Prime Minister's Office has been working hard on, starting with the BIO4 campus project. It is especially important to thoroughly present the Serbian IT sector in Israel through continuous analysis and updating of data.

You have been working regularly on connecting Israeli and Serbian companies. Also, there are ongoing activities on relocating three of their companies from Ukraine to Serbia.

How does the Ukrainian crisis affect cooperation?

WHAT IS BEERSHEBA TO TEL AVIV AND JERUSALEM, NIŠ IS TO BELGRADE AND NOVI SAD

The companies from the two countries are connected horizontally, in all economic sectors. The business world reacts the fastest to new situations, especially to disruptions. When it comes to the need for Israeli employers and purchasers to adapt, this primarily refers to software providers and food producers. Branches of Israeli IT companies in Ukraine, which employed not only a highly qualified workforce but also that with considerable experience who were given very competitive salaries, found themselves overnight looking for an alternative. We are currently connecting these Israeli companies with our labour market, where the CCIS has identified complementarity and focuses its activities on.

The CCIS is one of the actors that represent the Serbian IT sector in Israel.

How important is that for the Serbian economy?

Business contacts and already established cooperation between the companies of the two countries impose a comprehensive presentation of our IT sector’s capacity in this Middle Eastern

country. By doing so, Serbia ensures an additional offer, while being free from manipulatively directed demand from Israel. Additionally, there is professional development and multi-lateral integration with global leaders in the field.

IT is not only one of the fastest-growing sectors of our economy, but it is also not burdened by various types of regulations that limit us in international trade. The CCIS is an inherently adequate platform for data review, analysis and focused supply. The systemic connection between the CCIS and Israeli organizations and associations in the IT sector enables timely logistical and operational inclusion in events that facilitate presentations.

Great cooperation opportunities lie with Israeli accelerators with a special focus on our science and technology parks. Tech7 from Beersheba in Israel has connected with the Science and Technology Park (STP) in Niš. Do you expect the continuation of that kind of cooperation?

References to already built projects are

I DO NOT DOUBT THAT SERBIA WILL DEVELOP INTO AN ECOSYSTEM PARTNER

I have no doubt that Serbia will develop into an ecosystem partner. The titles are inspiring, such as BINA Institute (Bar Ilan's Institute for Nanotechnology and Advanced Materials) and Eltel Medical. Also, cooperation in agriculture is a natural choice.

Export of frozen, but also fresh fruits and vegetables, cheeses (joint interest with leading Israeli supermarket chains), as well as further penetration into the Israeli infrastructure market with fittings made of PE, PP and PVC, rubber products, machine components and the arms industry will grow. I am grateful to my colleagues from the Israeli Federation of Chambers of Commerce who have been submitting the necessary and timely analyzed data, as well as the possibility of having presentations.

The resumption of direct flights between Ben-Gurion and Nikola Tesla airports on April 8 by the Israeli airliner Arkia creates prerequisites for the return of Israeli tourists to Belgrade in substantial numbers. The challenge here will be to prolong overnight stays and turn them into visits to Serbian tourist attractions, such as those in the southwestern part of the country - Uvac, Zlatibor and Tara.

Last but not least, there is a thorough consideration of creating a favourable atmosphere for the signing of a free trade agreement. 

period. The project implemented by the Israeli company Enlight in Serbia in another form of renewable energy sources is also worth mentioning.

I am, of course, referring to the wind farm in Kovačica. I am extremely glad to be able to highlight the quality of cooperation with the Embassy of Israel in Belgrade.

In cooperation with the Serbian National Library, the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia is planning to stage an exhibition about Nikola Tesla in Israel and introduce the local public to Tesla's Serbian origins.

When will the exhibition open?

The initiative originated from our Embassy in Tel Aviv, and it coincides with the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the renewal of diplomatic relations between our two countries. With the branding of electric cars in recent years, Tesla's name is more resonant in Israel, but his Serbian origin is still insufficiently known. As the Nikola Te-

Based on your experience in Israel so far, could you predict which economic branches will see the best cooperation between our two countries in the future?

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Renewable energy sources and Israeli investments in solar panels in Serbia are also topics of talks with potential investors. When can concrete progress in the negotiations be expected?

sla Museum already has optional exhibitions, the focus is on choosing the ideal exhibition space, like a museum of science, as well as financial projections. The CCIS will use this platform to conduct activities on representing the Serbian IT sector, i.e. ecosystems, for which there is already interest from institutions with which it regularly cooperates. This will be the most meaningful promotional activity for our country in a startup nation, such as Israel. The exhibition could open in the last quarter of the current year or the first quarter of next year.

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In 2021, investments in Israeli startups amounted to a fascinating $17.8 billion. There is no doubt that this would not be possible without a sustainable accelerator system. Experts from Israel, such as Dr. Shuki Gleitman, have already participated in the creation of our STPs, and now efforts are being made to continuously master the two phases of accelerator support and startup monitoring – that is the initial phase, in which the business initiative has to prove its purposefulness, and especially the next one, in which the business initiative should demonstrate its potential profitability. The analogousness of the regional centres in the less developed part of the country provides space for learning from successful projects. Correspondingly, what is Beersheba to Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, Niš is to Belgrade and Novi Sad.

affirmative, and these projects are of different sizes. The thing they have in common is maximized cost-effectiveness and adaptability to local needs. Israel's expertise in solar panels comes not only from the country’s innovative approach and orientation towards green energy but is also conditioned by its geographical climate, which a multitude of sunny days and scarce natural resources. As three such companies are ready for imminent entry into our market, the issue of progress is not up to them, even though they still need to complete their financial documentation. We should certainly not forget the pace of the annulment of the electricity price to the detriment of renewable sources in the coming

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DIPLOMATIC RELATION

30 YEARS OF DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS Diplomatic relations were restored at the charge d'affaires level in 1991 after a 25-year hiatus, followed by the opening of the Yugoslav embassy in Tel Aviv in the spring of 1992 s early as May 1948, the then Socialist Federal Rep u b l i c o f Yu g o s l a v i a (SFRY) was among the first countries to recognize Israel as a state, and immediately afterwards to establish diplomatic relations. In 1949, Yugoslavia established a diplomatic mission by opening its embassy in Tel Aviv, to which the Israeli authorities responded by opening their embassy in Belgrade at the same time.

In the mid-1950s and early 1960s, with the onset of the non-alignment policy, relations between the two countries lost intensity, which finally led to the severance of diplomatic relations in 1967. Diplomatic relations were re-

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stored at the charge d'affaires level in 1991 after a 25-year hiatus, followed by the opening of the Yugoslav embassy in Tel Aviv in the spring of 1992. From 1992 to 1997, the Yugoslav charge d'affaires was the famous Mirko Stefanović, and from 1997 to 2001, he was also the Ambassador of Serbia in Tel Aviv.

SERBIA AND ISRAEL COOPERATE ON SEVERAL LEVELS, INCLUDING GREEN ENERGY

Israeli Ambassador David Sasson held was the Israeli ambassador from 1996 to 1999, and was replaced in 2000, by Yoram Shani. After the restitution has been carried out in Serbia, a certain amount of money will be paid to Jewish communities in Serbia, covering a 25-year-period, starting in 2017.

As for other aspects of cooperation such as tourism, it should be noted that in 2011, the Israeli embassy launched a tourism campaign called "I Love TelAviv" which stipulated the construction of a beach in Novi Sad that would emulate a typical beach in this Israeli city.

The beach was supposed to be used as a place for parties and other activities that promote tourism, just like in Israel.

According to the data collated by the Serbian Tourist Board, there has been a significant increase in the number of Israeli tourists in Serbia since 2017. That year, slightly more than 40,000 people from Israel visited Serbia. There was a substantial increase of 171% in 2017 and that growth in the number of Israeli tourists was relatively maintained until the coronavirus pandemic. We believe that the trend of Serbian tourists visiting Israel will continue, especially if we take into account that a direct flight from Belgrade to Tel Aviv has been re-launched on April 8th. Also, the two countries have signed a tourism cooperation agreement, which will contribute to the creation of an institutional framework that will facilitate and strengthen cooperation between individual partners in tourism.

Serbia and Israel cooperate on several levels, including green energy. Serbian Deputy Prime Minister and Mining and Energy Minister, Professor Zorana Mihajlović, PhD, said in February this year, that cooperation with Israel in green energy, energy transition and the decarbonisation process would contribute to the improvement of overall relations between the two countries.

After the Ministry of Mining and Energy of Serbia and the Ministry of Energy of Israel signed a Memorandum of Understanding stipulating cooperation in green energy, she said that good political relations between the two countries would help with the establishment of a partnership in the green energy transition.

The two countries have also been cooperating in wastewater treatment, when the Embassy of Israel, together with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia, organized a conference and business forum on the topic of efficient management and treatment

of wastewater and drinking water. Israel is a global leader in wastewater treatment with 90% of the treated water used in agriculture.

On the occasion, the Israeli Ambassador H.E. Yahel Vilan then said that Israel and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia would continue to create opportunities for boosting economic cooperation between Serbia and Israel and that it was time for the potential of that cooperation to be realized. The fact that the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia opened its office in Jerusalem in August 2021 also supports this endeavour. Interest in cooperation between the two economies

INTEREST IN COOPERATION BETWEEN THE TWO ECONOMIES IS REFLECTED IN ALMOST ALL INDUSTRIES is reflected in almost all industries, with an emphasis on the ICT sector, start-up consulting, health, agriculture and the food industry. The arms industry, cyber and ICT services, wastewater treatment and tourism are also highly ranked for the partnership.

On the other hand, the Economic Section of the Embassy of Israel is also focused on the promotion of trade and business between Israel and Serbia.

This includes a wide range of activities and services aimed at creating a strategic alliance, partnership and joint venture cooperation between the two economies, as well as encouraging and facilitating investments in Israel and Israeli

companies, according to the Israeli Embassy website.

The main goal of the embassy’s Economic Section is to help the business community in Israel, offering useful business contacts and other information related to various aspects of doing business in Serbia, and vice versa.

It also assists Israeli companies by giving them relevant business information and contacts from a wide database that contains information about various sectors of the Serbian economy.

Also, the Economic Section encourages and facilitates investments in various sectors and fields such as agriculture and agro-technology, the food industry, telecommunications, software, finance, and even biotechnology. Furthermore, this department of the Israeli Embassy helps Serbian business people with visiting trade fairs, exhibitions and other events held in Israel via direct e-mails, press releases and personal contacts, promotes Israeli business and trade, connects the business world and organizations from Serbia with the Israeli ones and informs them of commercial opportunities in Israel.

The two nations are linked through various other activities that the Israeli Embassy in Serbia has been carrying out such as those related to culture and traditional events. One of the latter is the eight-day-long Jewish holiday of Hanukkah, celebrated by Jews worldwide, including those in Serbia.

Last winter, during the Hanukkah, the Israeli Embassy donated more than 10,000 sufganiyots (a type of doughnut) to users of soup kitchens provided by the Red Cross, to spread the holiday cheer during the very cold December days. The famous dessert, which is traditionally eaten for the Jewish holiday of freedom and light, was distributed in 11 towns in Serbia. 

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The Embassy of Israel and the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia organized a conference and business forum on the topic of efficient management and treatment of wastewater and drinking water.

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BUSINESS FORUM

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CORPORATE

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We are excited to introduce BREVIS, ADAMA's highly sophisticated and innovative product, developed after years of extensive testing, aiming to assist apple growers thining their fruits cost-effectively and safely

ILAN LEVANON CEO of ADAMA SRB

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espite the various changes taking place in the market, the quality of services should remain the same.

Thus, ADAMA manages to adapt to the requirements and needs of its clients and establish new forms of cooperation with them, which facilitate their business. We spoke with Mr. Ilan Levanon, CEO of ADAMA SRB, about the company's recent successes and the Serbian market.

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PROPRIETARY SYSTEM AND KNOWLEDGE

ADAMA has had another successful business year. What recent achievements would you like to highlight?

— 2021 was an extremely challenging year for maintaining and growing our business. There were COVID-related restrictions earlier that year and lots of logistics disruptions. We also couldn’t physically be close to the farmers, thus missing the personal interaction that is a key in ADAMA’s approach.

The agriculture season suffered because of unstable weather conditions and crop damages, and in the autumn, the glob-

al economy has fallen victim to the China energy crisis followed by the global supply-chain crisis and logistics cost spike, which influenced the availability and cost of crucial raw materials. By the end of 2021, the production cost of most agricultural inputs spiked significantly, adding weight to global food production. The ongoing Ukraine war is yet adding new dimensions to this continuous challenge. On top of that, the European crop protection industry is in a process of re-evaluating current crop-protection solutions for their environmental and health impacts, resulting in a massive phase-out of many traditional products. This process peaked in 2021, creating lots of new challenges and opportunities and reshaping the face of our industry. Managing to keep our close relations with the Serbian farming community as well as growing our business under such uncertainty, while setting the foundation for healthier future growth, is a great achievement that I am very proud of You have developed the BREVIS SMART application. Could you tell us more about it?

— We are excited to introduce BREVIS, ADAMA's highly sophisticated and innovative product, developed after years of extensive testing, aiming to assist apple growers thinning their fruits cost-effectively and safely. BREVIS allows farmers to minimize the expensive, labour-intensive operation

of fruit thinning, replacing it with a simple spray. Thinning is required to ensure bigger and healthier fruits, however, it is a delicate process with very little room for mistakes. This is where our BREVIS SMART comes to play - our in-house software assists the apple grower in terms of the best timing for the Brevis application based on a complex matrix of morphological and environmental inputs. BREVIS SMART brings the Serbian farmers a proprietary system and knowledge that are a result of decade long development.

technological, large scale field crops in Vojvodina. Serbia’s regulation of crop protection products constantly challenges the industry to find and provide better technologies. Serbian farmers demand higher solutions and indeed they are aligned with the latest technologies such as seeds, machinery, irrigation, fertilizers and crop protection. Given that our farmers are not enjoying the same level of government support as their peers in the EU for example, their global competitive positioning is very impressive.

You have a special trustworthy partnership with your clients. What are the biggest challenges you face?

As an innovative company, you set new global trends.

What innovative products is ADAMA preparing for farmers in Serbia?

— What we have considered “innovative” in the crop protection industry 2-3 decades ago is very different from today. The traditional race for the development of new chemical active substances no longer has the same intensity and innovative value. The global food production challenges of the growing world’s population, are calling for different directions such as the advanced formulation technologies mentioned before, Ag-tech solutions, unique mixtures of active substances and the development of organic bio-stimulants – a field that is accumulating speed and popularity globally. ADAMA’s future new product development plan addresses all those fronts. This year we are launching here in Serbia (first in Europe) our all-natural organic bio-stimulant Excelgrow, unique algae extract that improves plant physiology, growth and resilience to stress which leads to higher yield and quality even under sub-optimal growing conditions. 

We, in ADAMA, are currently re-shaping our strategy, adjusting to the new and dynamic challenges in the food production chain — We build our relationship with our customers on trust and transparency, as partners. This approach yields a completely different type of discussion and relationship, one of mutual interest and support, very different from the typical supplier-buyer discussion we all know. Our basic marketing approach calls for a demand-creation activity done by ADAMA field team on the farmer level – providing farmers with the latest technical information about their crop protection issues, solutions available and know-how. In parallel, our customer and business partner further operate the entire sales process down the channel all the way to the farmers, based on their demand. This symbiotic relationship requires trust, a long-term view and readiness to compromise from both sides

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As your logo says, your goal is to unite farmers and facilitate agricultural growth, and in that, you’re a global leader. What is your view of the Serbian market?

— Serbia has a unique blend of traditional, small scale, fruit and vegetable farming in its central part, as well as highly

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What are you currently focusing on in terms of products for sustainable and profitable agricultural development?

— We in ADAMA are currently re-shaping our strategy, adjusting to the new and dynamic challenges in the food production chain. The company is investing in analyzing those future trends through a set of deep-dive interactions with global leaders in and around the food chain. This led us to adopt a set of actions aiming to ensure a leading position in the quest for sustainable agriculture. Also, we have decided to further emphasize our promise to master the field of “delivery technologies” by which ADAMA develops and launches new and highly sophisticated formulations, adopting innovative technologies from different fields of expertise, that allow the use of the same active substances in far lower doses with same results. This will directly support the notions of lower environmental impact, sustainable and more profitable agriculture

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COOPERATION

ISRAELI INVESTMENTS ON THE RISE Today, Israel has a growing economy based on a high degree of industrialization and high-tech achievements. As a consequence of the lack of natural resources and raw materials, Israel has invested heavily in training a highly-skilled workforce, as well as in the development of science centres. That is why today the country relies on making highadded value products, as well as technological innovations, for which it is known worldwide ccording to the data collated by the Serbian Statistics Office, in the period from January to December 2021, the value of external trade with Israel amounted to 107 million US dollars, an increase of 31% compared to 2020, when this amount stood at 82 million US dollars. In the observed period, Serbia exported goods worth about 59.6 million dollars to Israel, a 37.2% increase relative to the previous year, when Serbian exports to Israel were worth about 43.4 million dollars. At the same time, imports from Israel amounted to 48.1 million dollars, which is an increase of nearly 24% compared to the previous year - 2020.

The export to import ratio stood at 123.9%.

It is important to mention that Israel is one of the most important investors in our country, and the most significant Israeli investments have been made in transport and real estate construction.

There are 13 agreements between the two countries currently in force (The Agreement on Investment Promotion and Protection, Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation, Agreement on Cooperation in Agricul-

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ture, Agreement on Double Taxation and Prevention of Income Tax Evasion).

So far, Serbia and Israel have not yet formed a mixed intergovernmental body to deal with it the issues related to bilateral economic cooperation.

The legal basis for its formation is contained in Article 13 of the Agreement on Trade and Economic Cooperation signed by the Government of the Republic of Serbia and the Government of the State of Israel, which stipulates the establishment of a Joint Trade and Economic Cooperation Committee.

It is also envisaged that the Committee would meet whenever one side requested so, taking turns, both in Bel-

IMPORTS FROM ISRAEL AMOUNTED TO 40.7 MILLION EUROS, WHICH IS AN INCREASE OF NEARLY 20% COMPARED TO THE PREVIOUS YEAR

grade and Jerusalem, at times best suited for both parties. The agreement also stipulates that the Committee’s task is to consider, inter alia, the implementation of measures that may be adopted to comply with its provisions, as well as facilitate opportunities to develop and increase trade and economic relations between the two countries, including industrial and investment cooperation and other mutually beneficial areas.

As for the activities of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Serbia (CCIS) on boosting the cooperation with Israel, the Chamber has organized a meeting with leading retail chains in Israel. Also, ten companies from Serbia participated, as exhibitors, at the 2019 ISRAFOOD International Fair in Tel Aviv. For the seventh consecutive time, the CCIS has opened a representative office abroad, this time in Israel (Jerusalem). The representative office started working in November 2021. Aleksandar Nikolić is the office’s director.

The CCIS is especially focused on the innovation sector, which is why Jerusalem was chosen, i.e. the Margalit Startup City, for its location. 

ECONOMY

HARNESSING THE SUN ENERGY TOWARDS THE GREEN GOALS

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Israel is still a world leader in the development and application of solar energy, while its geopolitical position has improved. The global solar sector has been growing 40 percent annually, which gives Israel plenty of room for further progress

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enewable energy is generated from natural sources, such as sunlight, wind, rain, waves and geothermal heat which are all renewable. Renewable energy technologies include solar energy, wind power, hydropower, biomass energy and biofuel. Almost all renewable energy comes from the Sun. The Sun’s radiation toward the Earth measures close to 5.25 kWh/m² a day.

After centuries of using fossil fuel energy, today’s global picture is changing,

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and renewable energy is increasingly considered one of the key factors in the planet’s future development. The Israeli climate is ideal for the production of solar energy.

Israel is still a world leader in the development and application of solar energy, while its geopolitical position has improved. The global solar sector has been growing 40 percent annually, which gives Israel plenty of room for further progress. Also, by investing in solar energy, Israel has become

less dependent on the neighbouring Arab countries that export crude oil.

With the development of solar energy, the need for oil decreases, because the Sun can produce as much as 10,000 times more energy than our planet’s requirements.

How does Israel develop its renewable energy sources? Principally the country does it via a unique solar field.

This field consists of solar panels with a 250-kilowatt-capacity. They operate by directing the sunlight on the pan-

a solar power tower. It has an installed capacity of 121 megawatts, concentrating 50,600 computer-controlled heliostats enough to power 120,000 homes.

Electricity production commenced in September 2019, with the energy production now amounting to 320 GWh annually. The project was a joint venture between Brightsource and Alstom.

Ashalim Plot C is a 30MW PV plant that was commissioned in 2018, one year before the CSP plants.

In 2019, EDF Renewables won a tender for another NIS 150 million ($43

ISRAEL HAS SIGNED AN AGREEMENT WITH JORDAN WHICH STIPULATES ISRAEL EXPORTING DESALINATED WATER TO JORDAN, WHICH HAS BEEN SUFFERING FROM EXTREME DROUGHTS

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million) PV plant at a record low price of 8.68 agorot (3 cents) per kilowatt-hour.

However, all those sunny days and hours have their downside too. The climate in Israel is dry and warm which raises the question of sufficient water suppliers. Still, Israel has found a solution to that problem. The cost of desalination has been reduced, thanks to new technologies. As one of the leaders in this field, Israel even exports water obtained in this way. For instance, Israel has signed an agreement with Jordan which stipulates Israel exporting desalinated water to Jordan, which has been suffering from extreme droughts.

But what is desalination? Desalination is the process of reducing (removing) minerals from water (to make it suitable for human consumption), processed water and irrigation water, with salt as a by-product of the process. Areas along the sea and islands often have great difficulties with water supply, which is why permanent or occasional water shortages and all the consequences that arise from them are be-

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els towards the receiver. As much as 70 percent of the accumulated energy is used to generate electricity, but also for heating water, which reaches up to 250 families, who thus save on gas and other types of fuel. Solar power plants, of 180-megawatt-capacity, are currently under construction in Israel. This is a great way to utilize 4,000 hours of sunshine a year and thus generate as much as a tenth of needed electricity from renewable sources. In addition to the solar fields, Israel also has a solar tower. Ashalim is a solar power plant located in the Negev desert. The station is 260 metres high and has a boiler. There are as many as 50,000 mirrors around the tower to collect solar energy. Ashalim consists of three plots with three different technologies the station combines 3 kinds of energy: solar thermal energy, photovoltaic energy, and natural gas. Ashalim Plot A (Negev Energy) is a 121-megawatt parabolic trough plant with 4.5 hours of thermal energy storage.

The Ashalim Plot B (Megalim) hosts

coming more frequent.

Ocean water desalination is common in the Middle East, the Caribbean, the United States, North Africa, Spain, Australia and China. The advantage of this process is the widespread availability of the raw material (seawater), while the disadvantage is that water desalination is currently very expensive compared to obtaining fresh water from other sources because it requires high energy consumption and expensive equipment.

As for natural gas, Israel discovered the Tamar gas field in 2009 and four years later, started extracting gas there, which is one of the primary energy sources. In addition to Tamar, Israel also utilizes the Leviathan gas field, which is located near the Israeli coast.

Natural gas is a primary energy source in Israel, mainly utilized for electricity production and to a lesser degree in the industry. Israel began producing natural gas from its own offshore gas fields in 2004. Between 2005 and 2012, Israel had imported gas from Egypt via the al-Arish-Ashkelon pipeline, which was terminated due to the Egyptian Crisis of 2011-14. As of 2017, Israel produced over 9 billion cubic meters (bcm) of natural gas a year. Israel had 199 billion cubic meters (cu m) of proven reserves of natural gas as of the start of 2016.

Since Israel’s creation in 1948, it has been dependent on energy imports from other countries. Specifically, Israel produced 7 billion cubic meters of natural gas in 2013 and imported 720 million cubic meters in 2011 Historically, Israel has imported natural gas through the Arish-Ashkelon pipeline from Egypt.

Egypt is the second-largest natural gas producer in North Africa. In 2005 Egypt signed a 2.5 billion-dollar deal to supply Israel with 57 billion cubic feet of gas per year for fifteen years. Under this arrangement, Egypt supplies 40 percent of Israel's natural gas demand. The Israeli Electric Corporation (IEC) controls more than 95% of the electricity sector in Israel and controls the production, distribution, and transmission of electricity. The IEC has a natural gas distribution law which regulates the distribution of natural gas in Israel to empower market competition. 

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CYBER SECURITY

INVESTING IN CYBER The Israeli Cyber Security industry continued its growth trend in 2021 and set new records in every field

he National Cyber Security Authority (NCSA), located within the Prime Minister's office, was an Israeli security entity responsible for protecting the Israeli civilian cyber space, during 2016-2018. The NCSA provided incident handling services and guidance for all civilian entities as well as all critical infrastructures in the Israeli economy, and works towards increasing the resilience of the civilian cyber space.

At the end of 2017, the Israeli government decided to merge the NCSA with the Israeli National Cyber Bureau (established in 2012), the unit in the Prime Minister's Office , which served as the government's cyber policy Bureau, into one unit - the National Cyber Directorate The Israel National Cyber Directorate is the national security and technological agency responsible for defending Israel’s national cyberspace and for establishing and advancing Is-

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ACCORDING TO ISRAELI EXPORT INSTITUTE DATA, OVERALL CYBER EXPORTS WERE $11 BILLION IN 2021 rael’s cyber power. The Directorate operates at the national level to constantly strengthen the level of defense of organizations and citizens, to prevent and handle cyberattacks and to strengthen emergency response capabilities.

As part of its roles, the Directorate advances innovative cyber solutions and forward-looking technological solutions, formulates strategies and policies in the national and international arenas and develops its cyber manpower. The Directorate strives to maintain

a protected, safe and open cyberspace for all of Israel’s citizens and to facilitate the State of Israel’s growth and power base, ss written on gov.il on Israel National Cyber Directorate.

Written further, The Israeli Cyber Security industry continued its growth trend in 2021 and set new records in every field. Data gathered and processed by the Israel National Cyber Directorate (INCD) shows that in comparison to 2020, the number of funds raised by the Israeli cyber security industry tripled and reached a record amount of approximately $8.8 billion. Additional records were set in overall cyber exports and in the number of Israeli companies that entered the billion-dollar (Unicorn) club (i.e. are worth $ 1 billion).

According to the data, in 2021 the Israeli cyber industry raised $8.8 billion in over 100 different deals, triple the amount from the previous year.

Also, four Israeli cyber security IPOs occurred in 2021, as well as 11 new Israeli entrances into the prestigious Unicorn club i.e. their valuation was over $1 billion. According to the data, one out of every three cyber security unicorns in the world is an Israeli company.

Investment in Israel is on the increase relative to the rest of the world: 2021 featured over 40 acquisition deals of Israeli companies by local and foreign entities with an estimated worth of $3.5 billion. Around 40% of the private global investment in cyber security funding rounds are in Israel.

According to Israeli Export Institute data, overall cyber exports were $11 billion in 2021.

Roi Yarom, INCD Director for Economy and Growth: "The Israeli cyber industry wrapped up another record-shattering year in which it showed that it was not only an economic growth engine in Israel of the highest order but also a pillar of the global cyber security innovation ecosystem." 

ECONOMY

IRONCLAD DEFENSE The Iron Dome system is considered to be one of the most effective shortrange missile defense systems

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jectile will move. Activation against the attack is triggered only if it is estimated that the rocket will fall on the populated area. If the intended destination is an empty space, the system does not respond. If the target is a populated area, rockets, so-called interceptors, are fired from the launch pad, in order to disable the enemy's attack, and the target is destroyed in the air. Multiple targets can be demolished at the same time, and the system is operational both day and night. As many as 150 square kilometres are covered and protected by the Iron Dome. However, Israeli officials claim that the Iron Dome is 90 percent effective in shooting down me-

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THE FACT THAT JUST ONE INTERCEPTOR PROJECTILE COSTS UPWARDS OF $150,000 SPEAKS VOLUMES ABOUT THE OVERALL MONETARY VALUE OF THIS DEFENSE SYSTEM

dium-range missiles before they fall on populated areas. Israel has a total of 10 such defense systems, although it has two more systems in its defense strategy, which albeit are not intended to stop short-range missiles.

The fact that just one interceptor projectile costs upwards of $150,000 speaks volumes about the overall monetary value of this defense system. Its development and maintenance were helped by the United States with hundreds of millions of dollars, while the price of one Dome can go up to $70 million.

The Iron Dome system is considered to be one of the most effective shortrange missile defense systems. According to the data provided by the manufacturer, it takes only one second from the firing of an enemy missile for the system to react and launch an interceptor projectile. The Israeli military said the system hit 84 percent of the projectiles fired during eight days of clashes in the Gaza Strip in November 2012.

This system changed the lives of many Israelis in the past 11 years, when the first Dome was installed near the city of Bersheva which marked the operation of one of the best defense systems in the world. 

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t was like a scene from a sci-fi movie set in space.

Open skies. Night time.

City lights were shining with full splendour. It was an ordinary night, like countless before. Until missiles started crisscrossing the night sky over the city. Regardless of the danger, certain brave people decided to watch from their balconies this rocket “show”, reminiscent of fireworks or some intergalactic conflict. The reason why they did this is called Iron Dome air defense system.

The development of that system began in 2005. In February 2007, the Iron Dome was chosen as Israel's official short-range missile weapon. Since then, the Rafael Company, which had been developing the system, and the Israeli Defense Forces have been working together on it. According to official data, a total of $210 million have been spent so far.

The Iron Dome operates on the following principle - when the enemy army, specifically artillery, launches short-range missiles towards the target, a radar which detects and tracks missiles is activated at the foot of the Iron Dome. This system assesses and predicts the direction in which the pro-

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INTERVIEW

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WE ARE NURTURING AND IMPROVING THE RELATIONS BETWEEN OUR ANCESTORS Professor DRAGAN J. MILIĆ, MD, FACS,

Director of Clinic for Cardiovascular and Transplant Surgery of the University Medical Centre in Niš and President of the Serbian-Israeli Friendship Society

Our most important goal is to nurture friendly, as I like to call them, brotherly relations between our peoples. I don't think two nations in the world understand each other better

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Surgery Clinic of the University Medical Centre in Niš. Medicine has advanced greatly in the last few decades, and today it is unthinkable to treat patients without the latest equipment that provides accurate diagnosis and treatment, especially for the most complex diseases. Our Clinic is important because we are the only clinic south of Belgrade that performs cardiac surgery and organ transplants, with about 2 million people living in southeastern Serbia gravitating toward us. The respirator arrived amidst the coronavirus pandemic, when it was very difficult to get this equipment due to the great demand for

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e have talked with Professor Dragan J. Milić, MD, FACS, Director of Clinic for Cardiovascular and Transplant Surgery of the Clinical Centre in Niš and President of the Serbian-Israeli Friendship Society, about the Israeli Embassy's donations, the Blood Bank and the relations between Serbian and Israeli people.

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The Embassy of the State of Israel in Serbia and H.E. Ambassador Yahel Villan have donated a respirator to the Cardiovascular Surgery Clinic in Niš.

How important is such a donation for you and the Clinic?

Such donations are primarily important for our patients, but also, of course, for all of us who work at the Cardiovascular

THE BLOOD BANK IS

BY FAR THE MOST IMPORTANT PROJECT WE HAVE BEEN WORKING ON TOGETHER WITH THE ISRAELI EMBASSY AND H.E. AMBASSADOR YAHEL VILLAN

it worldwide. The whole world was focused on the pandemic and somehow forgot about those patients who had other serious conditions that required urgent treatment.

The Israeli Embassy has also donated equipment for the Blood Bank.

When is the Bank going to become operational?

WITH THE HELP OF SPECIFIC COAGULATION AND HEMOSTASIS TESTS, WE WILL BE ABLE TO ADMINISTER A TARGETED THERAPY AND TREAT THE PATIENT IN THE BEST POSSIBLE WAY close to 40% of the adult male Jewish population died along with Serbs defending their homeland from the occupiers. In honour of David Albala, the Blood Bank will bear his name, and we will also unveil his memorial bust that will be located in front of our clinic run, which was made by Dragan Drobnjak, the sculptor from Prokuplje.

How important is the Blood Bank for the University Medical Centre in Niš and the south of Serbia in general?

You are the president of the Serbian-Israeli Friendship Society. What are the Society’s main goals?

Our most important goal is to nurture friendly, as I like to call them, brotherly relations between our peoples. I don't think two nations on this planet understand each other better and who shared such a tragic destiny. Throughout history, both the Jewish and Serbian people have gone through the horrors of denial, persecution and killing.

During the Second World War, the Serbian and Jewish people, along with the Roma, suffered from the horrors of genocide in this part of the world, and it was this suffering that brought our peoples even closer together and made us stronger. The Jews have left a deep mark on Serbia’s culture, politics and economy. Throughout history, there has been only a complete understanding and alliance between our two nations that lasts to this day. Our friendship society also wants to preserve, nurture and further improve these relationships that were built by our ancestors.

As someone quite familiar with the relations between the two countries, how would you assess the direction in which our relations are moving?

This year, we are celebrating 30 years since the re-establishment of diplomatic relations between Serbia and Israel, and I can say with great pleasure that our relations are getting stronger and more meaningful, that are full of understanding with impressive mutual support. This is also true of the economic, political and military cooperation, as well as the cooperation in culture and science, which is especially important for me personally. I must say that this is a result of great invested energy and many activities, as well as the personal engagement of the Ambassador of Israel to Serbia, H.E. Yahel Villan, who has been working tirelessly to bring our two nations and countries closer. 

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The basic idea is to help the patient to heal as quickly and as well as possible.

In that sense, the Blood Bank serves for storage and dispensing of blood and blood-based products, pre-transfusion tests where we check blood groups, screening of irregular antibodies, issuing and monitoring of the therapy’s effects and the precise and correct determination of therapy. We want to avoid an empirical approach whereby we give two units of blood and wait to see what happens. Now, with the help of specific coagulation and hemostasis tests, we will be able to administer a target-

ed therapy and treat the patient in the best possible way, respecting the principles of good clinical and laboratory practice while ensuring the best possible outcome for the patient.

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The Blood Bank is by far the most important project we have been working on together with the Israeli Embassy and H.E. Ambassador Yahel Villan. This will be the first blood bank south of Belgrade. The equipment we got is absolutely the best in the world and it will be a real pleasure to work with it. We have just been informed by the supplier that the last, that is the third piece of equipment, will arrive next week, which means that, technically speaking, the Blood Bank will become operational in mid-May. Taking into account other details that we need to solve after installing the equipment, it is realistic to expect that the Blood Bank will be open in June or July at the latest when we are planning the grand opening. According to the decision made by our Clinic’s Board, the Blood Bank will be named after David Albala, a great Serbian patriot and Zionist from the First World War. David Albala, who declared himself a Serb of the Moses’ faith, was born in Belgrade and graduated medicine in Vienna, after which he joined the Serbian army as a military doctor. He took part in the Balkan wars and First World War when he crossed Albania with the remnants of the Serbian army and barely survived typhoid. Albala was promoted to captain soon after and received numerous decorations by the Kingdom of Serbia. He was a great Zionist and a fighter for Jewish rights. Unfortunately, little is known about the fact that the Kingdom of Serbia was the first country in the world to support the Balfour Declaration of 1917, which, for the first time in history, recognized the right of Jews to have their national home or state. It was David Albala, a Serb of the Moses’ faith and a captain of the Serbian Army, who handed over a letter to the World Zionist Congress in New York written and signed on behalf of the Kingdom of

Serbia by Ambassador Milenko Vesnić in which the state of Israel had its first official mention. No better example in our history symbolizes the incredible understanding and support that Serbs and Jews have shown towards each other. This was so pronounced that Jews in Serbia, during that period, declared themselves as Serbs of the Moses’ faith.

Almost all of them joined the Serbian army during the First World War, when

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CORPORATE

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CLICK ON ICON

QUALITY WINS IN A LONG RUN For 30 years TIM Co. is a proud representative of the world’s best manufacturers of sophisticated state-of-the-art equipment in the field of radiology

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n the early beginning, the little company succeeded to establish itself as an absolute reference in the region. Later, the reflection of success made it cover over 65% of a market in the specific medical fields, both state-owned and private facilities. Only ten years ago Tim Co. established a new department that was responsible for the placement of digital X-ray systems for use in various industrial and security applications.

TIM Co. started to represent Nikon Metrology Europe NV, a world-leading developer that offers a broad range of cutting-edge X-ray and CT products designed to support all industrial inspection needs. They develop specialized systems for use in areas such as aerospace, automotive, electronics, metrology applications, and many more.

Given that TIM Co. possesses huge experience in the NDT field, the same experience led them to collaborate with accredited institutions such as Apave

Vertech, the Institute of Welding and the Metal Inspekt, and were major suppliers of IPSI special equipment for inspection and quality control together with ICM Teledyne's portable X-ray

The biggest success was the cooperation with another of the largest American manufacturers of oils, lubricants, and greases Valvoline generators to the largest gas pipeline project in the Republic of Serbia "Turkish Flow". Of course, thanks to the excellent cooperation and thanks to the successes they achieved on the already mentioned project, they extended the cooperation again as the main suppli-

ers of crawlers and x-ray generators and equipped the Institute of Welding and Konvar corporation for the continuation of the project Turkish Flow called "Project 22".

Consequently, the goals of TIM Co did not stop there, we became the official representative of the largest manufacturer of laboratory equipment for testing oils, lubricants, grease, and petroleum – U.S. manufacturer, Koehler Instrument Company Inc. The biggest success was the cooperation with another of the largest American manufacturers of oils, lubricants, and greases - Valvoline.

Their local Laboratories now have the most modern equipment and are equipped with instruments from Koehler Instruments Company, so their after-production quality control has been brought to perfection. Valvoline continues to cement its status as a leading provider of greases and is proud to

have recently received accreditation for its new state-of-the-art laboratory and research and development facility in Kruševac, Serbia. After completing a successful audit late last year, the facility has now been issued with SRPS ISO/IEC 17025:2017, demonstrating its continued high standards in the testing and manufacture of greases.

The NDT path took us quickly to the field of Security. In modern times, with the omnipresent and continual terrorist threats, it was important, from the very beginning, to develop the best technology for protection. Israel was the nest for many to help protect the country, establishing the think tanks and small private companies that quickly found their way.

TIM Co. found and established a good professional relationship with the next three Israeli companies which represent the world's top in the field of security and safety equipment: NOVO DR (Petah Tikva) the World Leader (no phrase!) in portable X-Ray systems for the Security, NDT, and Science and Art sectors. The distinguishing company that leads away in security and counter-terrorism applications proved itself in many disastrous situ-

ations in recent years. Used by different security forces of dozens of states worldwide, they dramatically increase the security of public spaces, events, and everyday life.

NOVO DR offers the highest image quality in the portable digital radiography industry. The ruggedness and reliability of NOVO DR systems combined with amazing X-Ray Images make them the best available in the market.

Various tasks were set for TIM Co., and our company was always big enough to handle them successfully, and small enough to perform them better than anyone else Laser Detection Systems LDS (Petah Tikva), a world-leading developer of laser-based trace detection technology, Laser Detect Systems (LDS) commercializes ultra-sophisticated, reliable, and advanced laser spectrometry-based trace detection technology for homeland security, Sea and Airport Security,

mega-events, law enforcement, military, and environmental safety application.

The main application concerns explosive and narcotics detection, but also any common material that can be used for dangerous purposes.

ApolloShield (Tel Aviv – Yafo) Anti-Drone protection systems that can identify all commercial drone threats, track them down, block them and identify unauthorized operators. Those systems are intended for covering big events, sports, culture, infrastructure, law enforcement, prisons, VIPs, etc. It is the technology that interconnects and makes a platform for synergy between the manufacturer, the seller, and the end-user.

Their close cooperation is an essence for a long aftersales life of it, and especially in the field of security, its utmost importance comes to full recognition.

That’s where TIM Co. proved itself.

Various tasks were set for TIM Co., and TIM Co. was always big enough to handle them successfully, and small enough to perform them better than anyone else. TIM Co. will continue to serve as a reliable partner of the leading world-renowned producers of industrial and security applications, for the sake of us all! 

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DONATIONS

MASHAV’S DONATIONS IN SERBIA In the previous period, the Embassy of Israel and the MASHAV agency made donations in Pirot, Kragujevac, Niš and Belgrade

ASHAV, the Hebrew acronym for the International Cooperation Centre, was established as a division of the Ministr y of Foreign Affairs.

MASHAV's programmes encourage trainees to find their own solutions to problems and adapt them to their respective cultural and social values, economic potential, natural resources and regional priorities.

Over the years, MASHAV has consistently made poverty alleviation, provision of food security, empowerment of women and upgrade of basic health and education services as its priority goals, putting Israel's creative solutions at the disposal of the developing world.

In the previous period, the Embassy of Israel and the MASHAV agency made donations in Pirot, Kragujevac, Niš and Belgrade.

MASHAV has donated valuable computer equipment to the local Gymnasium in Pirot. In the presence of the Mayor of Pirot and guests from the Serbian-Israeli Friendship Club, the Israeli Ambassador to Serbia, H.E. Yahel Vilan, visited the students of the specialized department for computer science and informatics at the Pirot Gymnasium, in its newly equipped IT cabinet.

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MASHAV also made donations in Kragujevac, i.e. its local health centre which was given valuable equipment such as two ECG devices, a defibrillator, an ophthalmoscope, a spirometer with a computer and a printer. The health centre’s infirmary was re-named Dr Moshe Eli, the name it used to bear in the past. Dr Moshe Eli was a famous gynecologist, surgeon and humanist who lived in Kragujevac in the 1930s. He was an activist and donor of the Red Cross, president of the Jewish community in Kragujevac, and in 1937, he opened a private surgical-gynecological sanato-

IN ZEMUN, THE ISRAELI INTERNATIONAL DEVELOPMENT COOPERATION CENTRE, MASHAV, DONATED EQUIPMENT TO THE VELJKO RAMADANOVIĆ SCHOOL FOR VISUALLY IMPAIRED STUDENTS

rium for women.

In addition to Pirot and Kragujevac, MASHAV also donated to Cardiac Surgery Clinic of the University Medical Centre in Niš.

Amidst of the coronavirus pandemic, a respirator was donated to the Niš Clinical Centre also. After the signing of the donation agreement, a plaque dedicated to the friendship and cooperation between the Serbian and Israeli people was unveiled.

In Zemun, the Israeli international development cooperation centre, MASHAV, donated equipment to the Veljko Ramadanović School for Visually Impaired Students to improve the work with blind and partially sighted students. A Braille printer, a digital interactive desk, two Braille typewriters, as well as a special adaptive computer mouse that makes it easier for visually impaired students to work on a computer were donated.

The Ambassador of Israel underlined the contribution and importance of humanitarian gestures to the development of friendly relations between Serbia and Israel by personally handing over the donations in the presence of mayors and heads of institutions for which donations were intended. 

CULTURE

THE SOUND OF ISRAELI MUSIC It has been 85 years since the founding of the Israeli Philharmonic Orchestra.

This jubilee was marked in December last year when a special film about the orchestra’s history was screened

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ican conductor, composer, pianist, music educator, author and humanitarian and Zubin Mehta, an Indian conductor of Western and Eastern classical music.

Bernstein maintained close ties with the orchestra throughout his career.

The IPO did not have a formal music director, but instead "music advisors", until 1977 when Mehta was appointed the IPO's first Music Director. In 1981, his title was elevated to Music Direc-

IN 1958, THE IPO WAS AWARDED THE ISRAEL PRIZE, AN AWARD BESTOWED BY THE STATE OF ISRAEL

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tor for Life. In December 2016, the Israel Philharmonic announced that he is to conclude his tenure as music director as of October 2019. Principal guest conductors of the orchestra included Yoel Levi, an Israeli musician and conductor, and Gianandrea Noseda, an Italian conductor. Together with Mehta, the IPO has made a number of recordings for Decca, a British record label established in 1929 by Edward Lew-

is. With Bernstein, the IPO recorded his works and works of Igor Stravinsky, for Deutsche Grammophon.

An interesting fact is that the IPO has a subscriber base numbering 26,000.

Commentators have noted the musically conservative tastes of the subscriber base, although the IPO is dedicated to performing new works by Israeli composers, such as Avner Dorman, an Israeli-born composer, educator and conductor. Also, among the orchestra's education initiatives are the Buchmann-Mehta School of Music, a partnership between the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra and Tel Aviv University. The school was founded by Zubin Mehta and philanthropist Josef Buchmann to educate orchestral musicians to supply the artistic future of the IPO and other orchestras.

In January 2018, the IPO announced the appointment of Lahav Shani, an Israeli conductor and pianist, as its next music director and he is to hold the title of music director designate for the 2019-2020 season. Ahead of the concert, held on the occasion of the 85th anniversary of its establishment, the Orchestra opened a fund for the future of Israeli music. This fund will also finance the expansion of music education programmes and ensure the financial stability of the Philharmonic during the difficult times of crisis. 

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he Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO) is based in Te l Av i v a n d He i c h a l HaTarbut is its principal concert venue. The Orchestra was founded by violinist Bronisław Huberman, a Polish Jewish violinist, in 1936, at a time of the dismissal of many Jewish musicians from European orchestras. Its inaugural concert took place in Tel Aviv on December 26, 1936, conducted by Arturo Toscanini, an Italian conductor. Its first principal conductor was William Steinberg, a German-American conductor.

Between 1938 and 1945, General Manager was Leo Kestenberg, a German-Israeli pianist and a music educator, who, like many of the orchestra members, was a German Jew forced out by the rise of Nazism and the persecution of Jews. In 1948, after the creation of the State of Israel, the orchestra was renamed the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra.

It is important to mention that in 1958, the IPO was awarded the Israel Prize, an award bestowed by the State of Israel, and regarded as the state's highest cultural honour, in music, the first time that an organisation received the Prize. It’s interesting to note that several world-renowned conductors worked with the orchestra throughout its history, such as Leonard Bernstein, an Amer-

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TRADITION

JEWISH WEDDING CUSTOMS You must have seen a typical Jewish wedding, if not in person, then at least on film. The Jewish wedding has many interesting features, rules and traditions he wedding has two segments, although the ceremonies may differ. The first part includes kiddushin (dedication), and the second nissuin (marriage), after which a couple officially starts their life together. But there is also a traditional practice before the official start of the ceremony. The groom should agree to the marriage contract (ketubah) with two witnesses present, who sign the ketubah. The contract stipulates the groom's obligations toward the bride. Under the chuppah, a large white canopy under which the couple stands, tradition dictates that the ketubah should be read aloud.

The symbolism of the chuppah is beautiful. It represents a new home that the couple builds from the moment they become husband and wife.

Most Jewish communities have a practice whereby the bride is accompanied by her mother and mother-in-law and the groom by his father and father-inlaw while walking towards the chuppah. According to another custom, the newlyweds are accompanied only by their parents.

Some Jewish also practice that the bride should be covered in a veil. The veiling ritual is known in Yiddish as badeken. The veil emphasizes that the groom is not solely interested in the bride's external beauty, which fades with time; but rather in her inner beauty which she will never lose. In traditional weddings, two blessings are recited

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before the betrothal (presentation of the ring), a blessing over wine, and the betrothal blessing, which is specified in the Talmud. The wine is then tasted by the couple. Rings are not actually required; they are simply the most common way (since the Middle Ages).

The Sheva Brachot or seven blessings are recited by the hazzan or rabbi, or by select guests who are called up individually. Being called upon to recite one of the seven blessings is considered an honour. The groom is given a cup of wine to drink from after the seven blessings. The bride also drinks the wine. In some traditions, the cup will be held to the lips of the groom by his new fatherin-law and the lips of the bride by her new mother-in-law. Traditions vary as to whether additional songs are sung before the seven blessings.

After the bride has been given the ring, or at the end of the ceremony (de-

DANCING IS A MAJOR FEATURE OF JEWISH WEDDINGS. IT IS CUSTOMARY FOR THE GUESTS TO DANCE IN FRONT OF THE SEATED COUPLE AND ENTERTAIN THEM

pending on local custom), the groom breaks a glass, crushing it with his right foot. A lightbulb may be substituted at some contemporary weddings because it is thinner, more easily broken, and makes a louder popping sound.

Probably the most popular part of the wedding, as seen in many movies, is the dance. Dancing is a major feature of Jewish weddings. It is customary for the guests to dance in front of the seated couple and entertain them.

After the meal, Birkat Hamazon (Grace after Meals) is recited, followed by sheva brachot. After the prayers, the blessing over the wine is recited, with two glasses of wine poured together into a third, symbolising the creation of a new life together.

In present times, Jewish rabbinical bodies have developed Jewish prenuptial agreements designed to prevent the husband from withholding a get from his wife, should she want a divorce. Such documents have been developed and widely used in the United States, Israel, the United Kingdom and other places. However, this approach has not been universally accepted, particularly by the Orthodox.

Weddings should not be performed on Shabbat or Jewish holidays, including Chol HaMoed. The period of the counting of the omer and the three weeks are also prohibited, although customs vary regarding part of these periods. Some months and days are considered more or less auspicious. 

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*insurance against fire and other hazards: lightning, explosion, storm, hail, earthquake, flood, landslide, leakage of liquids and gases, water spillage from pipes *insurance against burglary and robbery *insurance of glass against breakage We are waiting for you at our offices at 16, Ruzveltova Street in Belgrade or one of over 250 of our branches throughout Serbia. If you want to find out more about AMS Osiguranje's services, please call 0800-009-009 or go to www.ams.co.rs .

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ISRAEL 2022

id you know that one of the most common causes of fires and floods in the home is faulty plumbing pipes and electrical installations? It can happen to anyone.

Considering that water pipes in our cities are more than half a century old, pipeline failures and pipe bursts are common occurrences. Hence, it becomes clear that household insurance is the best way to protect yourself from unforeseen troubles in the home.

Natural disasters are also one of the things we cannot influence, and they are especially common during May, June and July when our country has the wettest weather of the year.

The most common home accidents

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TOURISM

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FUN AND RELAXATION 30

If you want to travel to Israel, and you have not been there so far, here are three suggestions for you. For those travellers who like entertainment-filled holidays, Tel Aviv is the place to be. Eilat offers both leisure and entertainment while relaxing on the Dead Sea is guaranteed. There is something for everyone here

TEL AVIV Tel Aviv-Yafo or just Tel Aviv is the most populous city in the Gush Dan metropolitan area of Israel. Located on the Israeli Mediterranean coastline it is the economic and technological centre of the country.

History tells us that the city was founded in 1909 by the Yishuv (Jewish residents) as a modern housing estate on the outskirts of the ancient port city of Jaffa, then part of the Mutasarrifate of Jerusalem within the Ottoman Empire. It was at first called 'Ahuzat Bayit' ("House Estate" or "Homestead"), the name of the association which established the neighbourhood. Its name was changed the following year to 'Tel

of International Style buildings, including Bauhaus and other related modernist architectural styles. The White City is a collection of over 4,000 buildings built in a unique form in Tel Aviv from the 1930s.

One of the best options for exploring Tel Aviv is renting a bicycle (one can be rented for only $5). You won’t have trouble finding them, as there are over 150 rental stations in the city where you can pick up a bicycle, which you can ride, for instance, on a beautiful promenade at sunset. Bike paths in the city are a total of 25 miles in length. Riding a bike around the city is much more acceptable than driving a car because of crowds everywhere, most of the day.

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Aviv receives over 2.5 million international visitors annually. A "party capital" in the Middle East, it has a lively nightlife and 24-hour culture. Tel Aviv has been called The World's Vegan Food Capital, as it possesses the highest per capita population of vegans in the world, with many vegan eateries throughout the city. Tel Aviv is home to Tel Aviv University, the largest university in the country with more than 30,000 students.

Maybe you want to see something ‘old-fashioned’, i.e. something from the first half of the 20th century? Tel Aviv's White City, which was designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003, comprises the world's largest concentration

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Aviv', after the biblical name Tel Abib adopted by Nahum Sokolow as the title for his Hebrew translation of Theodor Herzl's 1902 novel Altneuland ("Old New Land").

Other Jewish suburbs of Jaffa established before Tel Aviv eventually became part of Tel Aviv, the oldest among them being Neve Tzedek (est. 1886).

Tel Aviv is governed by the Tel Aviv-Yafo Municipality, headed by Mayor and is home to many foreign embassies. It is ranked 41st in the Global Financial Centres Index. Tel Aviv has the third- or fourth-largest economy and the largest economy per capita in the Middle East. The city currently has the highest cost of living in the world. Tel

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Tel Aviv

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If you are worried that you will be caught in the rain while cycling or walking, do not. Tel Aviv has 300 sunny days a year. Chances are that you will visit Tel Aviv in the rainy period only if you don’t inform yourself before coming here.

The Israelis love to spend time outdoors, in this beautiful sunny weather.

Spending time outdoors also includes partying. Tel Aviv is known as one of the best cities in the world for nightlife and that's how it earned its nickname - "the city that never sleeps".

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EILAT Eilat is Israel's southernmost city, a busy port and popular resort at the northern tip of the Red Sea, on what is known in Israel as the Gulf of Eilat and in Jordan as the Gulf of Aqaba. The city is considered a tourist destination for domestic and international tourists heading to Israel.

Eilat's arid desert climate and low humidity are moderated by proximity to a warm sea. Temperatures often exceed 40 °C (104 °F) in summer, and 21 °C (70 °F) in winter, while water temperatures range between 20 and 26 °C (68 and 79 °F). Eilat averages 360 sunny days a year.

As for the activities in Eilat, we recommend breakfast on the beach with an amazing view. You will likely spend the entire day on the beach and later join a beach night party. If, on the other hand, you prefer underwater fun over the one on dry land, you will be delighted with what Eilat has to offer.

Crystal clear water allows you to see

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the corals whose variety of colours exceeds the known colour palette. Over 300 species of fish swim between the corals! You can engage in all these activities in winter too.

If you are not that keen on exploring underwater life and don’t like getting wet, then the Underwater Observatory is definitely a place for you, but only if you have no problem with seeing sharks swimming over you.

If you prefer more extreme activities, you can enjoy windsurfing, kite surfing and wakeboarding. But, if you like dry land more, the desert is nearby. Enjoy the fantastic view of the colourful mountains while driving through the Red Canyon.

THE DEAD SEA HAS ATTRACTED VISITORS FROM AROUND THE MEDITERRANEAN BASIN FOR THOUSANDS OF YEARS Let's further explore the town’s history. The name Eilat was given to Umm al-Rashrāsh in 1949 by the Committee for the Designation of Place-Names in the Negev. The name refers to Elath, a location mentioned in the Hebrew Bible that is thought to be located across

the border in modern Jordan. The committee acknowledged that Biblical Eilat/ Elath was across the border.

THE DEAD SEA Reading a newspaper or the poems of your favourite poet while floating on water? You can only do that on the Dead Sea without worrying the slightest about getting wet or sinking to the bottom. The salinity of this sea will prevent that from happening.

The Dead Sea is a salt lake bordered

by Jordan to the east and Israel and the West Bank to the West. It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley, and its main tributary is the Jordan River.

Here is the basic information about the lake – its surface is 430.5 metres below sea level, making its shores the lowest land-based elevation on Earth. It is 304 m deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. It is one of the world's saltiest bodies of water – 9.6 times as salty as the ocean – and has a density of 1.24 kg/litre, which makes swimming similar to floating.

The Dead Sea has attracted visitors from around the Mediterranean Basin for thousands of years. It was one of the world's first health resorts (for Herod the Great), and it has been the supplier of a wide variety of products, from asphalt for Egyptian mummification to potash for fertilisers. Today, tourists visit the sea on its Israeli, Jordanian and West Bank coastlines. The Palestinian tourism industry has been met with setbacks in developing along the West Bank coast. 