Palestinians

Ron Jacobsohn Meets Israelis and Palestinians who Dare to go Down to Business

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• published: 11 Sep 2016
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Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent: The World Economic Forum in Geneva has taken it upon itself to help business communities at odds to come closer to each other. So it was given when business people from Israel and the Palestinian Authority wanted to create some business ties that the forum would intervene. We talked to some people from both sides of the border and talked to them about overcoming the obstacles of having a normal business relationship. The Senior Director of Middle East and North Africa at the World Economic Forum in Geneva, Czech born, Mirolav Dusek, believes that giving the sides at odds a platform will help them come closer. Miroslav Dusek, Sr. Director of Middle East & N. Africa, World Economic Forum: For us the World Economic Forum is a platform for dialogues, so we put them together in terms of these practical projects, this is something that we are leaving for the stake holders here. But what I think is important is that there is this support of the official process right now. I am realistic, I think it's a lot of hard work, but we believe this is a pivotal moment where high-impact individuals from the private sector can actually widen the constituency or make the constituency for peace visible in both societies." Samir Hulileh is the chairman of the Portland Trust, which is a British non-profit 'action tank' whose mission is to promote peace and stability between Israelis and Palestinians through economic development. Samir Hulileh, Chairman, Portland Trust, Ramallah: Since the 70's and the 80's we have a huge trade relations and most of our imports and most of our exports go through Israel, so we have a lot of businesses, however without diverting us from the main problem that we are having with Israel, this will continue, but we need to make sure that the conflict will reach an end and occupation should reach an end and the Palestinian state should be established next to Israel, again in prosperity, cooperation and full assistance of the international community. The BTI is basically an initiative by and for business people, trying to make sure that they don't stay silent waiting for the politician to reach an agreement. Shlomi Fogel is the chairman of one of Israel's leading industrial groups, Ampa, has a vision of how to further the peace in the Middle East by creating jobs on both sides of the border. Shlomi Fogel, Chairman, Ampa Group: We kept it very quiet because now the Israeli government is going to give the permits to build the new bridge between the two zones. The concept is that there is a 700,000 square meter of land, which is already operational in Jordan, and 200,000 square meters on the Israeli side, it's like a bubble between the two countries, which is a qualifies industrial zone and we put the factories, we have 4 factories right now, but we hope with the bridge we will be able to bring more and more investors in by creating what we call the positive interaction between Jordanians and Israelis we would actually like to do a 'copy-paste' of this 'free zone' between Palestine and Israel and it is a question of that we can show it working so no one will be questioning it and no one will be cynical, just come and see how it works. And this is what I expect from our partners in the Palestinian Authority to come forward and let's do it together. Leon Koffler is a Canadian-Israeli businessman, who owns the largest retail drug stores in Israel with subsidiaries in Poland and China. Since opening its first store in 1979, Super-Pharm has become the largest employers of non-Jewish Israelis, with over 20% of their workforce being Arab-Israelis. Leon Koffler, Chairman, Super-Pharm: We, as businessmen can not change politics, this is why we have politicians it's their job. But myself as a businessman, I can try increase my relations with the Palestinians through business cores through business relationships and I think by this way the interaction between the people, the success of business and the increase in lifestyle will then create a background, which will pressure politicians to finally make a decision, whenever they find it within their powers to do it. Ron Jacobsohn, JN1 Correspondent Like in so many cases throughout history, where business flourishes so follow the politics too and only time will tell if the same will happen between the Israelis and the Palestinians. For JN1 I am Ron Jacobsohn in Israel