Search Results

 The Ministry of Agriculture and food security, MK Avi Dichter opened the conference:  “Here, in the city of Eilat, where desert meets the sea, marine agriculture and desert agriculture innovation is the key to strengthening Israeli and global food security.  Our strategy is to greatly increase local production, while maintaining a high level of environmental sustainability and animal wellbeing.  I wish us all a fruitful conference!

Minister of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, MK Yitzchak Wasserlauf:  “There is a vision here shared by Israel and the entire world.  The conference deals with food security; and here in Eilat, we transform a problem into opportunities.  What appears to be a desolate desert, becomes a competitive advantage here.  This desert region is a laboratory for solutions.  Eilat is transformed from a city of tourism to a city that is also a center of information and knowledge”
In a world in which the effects of climate change are becoming increasingly more severe, and as the population continues to grow, food production systems must adapt to the changing needs.  The local aquaculture industry is a limited field that has been taking off in recent years, thanks to its tremendous potential as a source of sustainable, nourishing and effective source of protein, which can become a central aspect in the food security of the future.

 Yesterday, the Sea the Future 2026 Conference opened in Eilat, spearheaded jointly by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience.  The conference will deal with research, innovation, technology and development in the field of food security of the marine agriculture.  Also partners in this conference are the Ministry of Regional Collaboration, the Eilat Municipality the Eilot Regional Council, AquaTec, AquaculTech and SeaNovation.  

The conference that was part of a multi-year government decision for the development of the city of Eilat and the Eilot Region, has attracted more than 400 researchers, agriculturalists, professionals, industry representatives and Israeli and foreign entrepreneurs, who promote national and global collaborative efforts and reinforce the connection between research, development and application in the field of aquaculture.
 
The conference is hosting international delegations from countries interested in technological and research collaboration, including: agricultural and fish farming ministers from Ghana, India and Azerbaijan, the deputy agriculture minister of Georgia and professional delegations from Romania and Morocco.
During the three days of the conference, a wide variety of Israeli startup technologies in this field will be presented as will ground breaking research and professional panels featuring senior members of the industry.  Topics will include: marine agriculture, advanced marine technologies, innovation and policy in the field of marine food, development of sustainable marine food systems and research and technological collaborations.  In addition, the head of the Food Security Administration at the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Mr. Yuval Lipkin, presented the  national food security plan for 2050 that was formulated by the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security in conjunction with government ministries, associations and organizations.
     
The Eilat – Eilot Region, characterized by the unique combination of sea, desert and extreme climate conditions, serves as the natural environment for the development of applied and innovative research.  In this region, advanced research activity is conducted in the fields of marine agriculture, marine biotechnology, renewable energy and marine science, alongside oceanography (marine and ocean science) and limnology (the science of lakes and potable water).  This activity contributes to the development of innovative solutions for coping with environmental, economic and social challenges.
Director General of the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security, Oren Lavi opened the conference:  “Seven delegations from around the world have come to the conference, with the shared understanding that the world needs quality sustainable protein, and protein from the sea is a central part of the solution.  The State of Israel is a leader in the field of mariculture knowledge, research and startups and integrates scientific innovation with practical application.  This is the true face of the State of Israel, a country that leads the way forward, invests in resources and develops solutions to global challenges.”

Director General of the Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience, Yohanan Mali:  “We are all here for one purpose:  to lead the revolution in the field of food security and the continued development of aquaculture in Israel.  The collaboration between Eilat and the Eilot Region and the government ministries, research and educational institutions have shown us the achievements that can be reached.  The State of Israel has become a center of ground breaking research in this field.”

Mayor of Eilat, Eli Lankri:  “In the era of climate changes and population growth, food security is a central component of global resilience.  Eilat with its unique combination of sea and desert is at a significant regional juncture and serves as an extraordinary applied platform for the development and application of advanced solutions in aquaculture, biotechnology and renewable energy.  We are hosting this conference for the second year, combining research, industry and decision makers, and strengthening regional and international collaborations for the development of practical solutions for food security.”

The conference is being broadcast live on the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security and Ministry of the Negev, Galilee and National Resilience Facebook pages, LinkedIn and YouTube.
 
Conference website:  www.gov.il/he/departments/topics/sea_the_future_2026
 Agenda:  https://www.gov.il/he/pages/seathefuture_agenda
Booklet of the presenting companies:  https://www.gov.il/he/pages/innovation_exhibition_booklet
Speakers booklet:  https://www.gov.il/he/pages/speakers_seathefuture_2026 

Aquaculture – Data and Numbers:
✔    The rate of global demographic growth, which is currently estimated at over 200 thousand people per day, is accompanied by the continuous increase in the demand for protein from the sea and marine food products.  These trends set a significant challenge for global food systems, especially natural fishing resources.
✔    Some 90% of the world’s fish species are currently over-fished or fished-out, and the marine ecological systems are experiencing difficulties in recovery.
✔    The growth rate of aquaculture and mariculture is currently the fastest of all the world’s agricultural fields, and is estimated at 8% annually.  The industry is worth more than $310 billion, and provides more than 50% of the fish consumed globally.
✔    In light of the continued demographic growth and increase in demand, the industry must double its activity within a decade.  This is an achievable target that requires extensive investment in innovation, applied research and development and expanding collaboration between governments, academic institutions and industry.  The aquaculture industry in Israel, most of which is still small and has even reduced in size in recent years, is expected to gain traction due to the national strategic plan and the allocation of specific resources for investment, research and development.  Currently, there are 200 breeders, entrepreneurs and researchers in the field in Israel, including:  fish and seaweed breeders, technology developers, protein substitute entrepreneurs, breeders of food sourced from the sea and research institutions.  
 

The visit began with a tour of the Seismology Division, including the historical seismometery exhibition, a hands-on “Do-It-Yourself earthquake” experience, and a visit to the Emergency Operation Center —the heart of our real-time seismic monitoring operations, filled with screens and data streams tracking the Earth’s motions.
We then gathered to hear a lecture by Dr. Elisabeth Nadin, titled:
Alaska Earthquakes and the Road to Early Warning
In the afternoon, we enjoyed a lecture by Prof. Carl Tape entitled:
Large Earthquakes and Sedimentary Basins in Transtensional Tectonic Settings: The Minto Flats Fault Zone, Central Alaska, and the Dead Sea Transform
In the concluding discussion, we explored a range of ideas for strengthening research and applied collaboration between the Geological Survey of Israel, the University of Alaska Fairbanks, and the Alaska Earthquake Center. We hope these collaborations will continue to grow and yield meaningful scientific and practical outcomes in the years to come.
The Division of Seismology would like to warmly thank Karl and Elizabeth for their inspiring visit and enriching exchange. We wish them many great experiences and memorable moments for the rest of their trip—and, of course, a safe (and hopefully warm…) return to the Alaskan freezing cold… minus 40 degrees 

Jerusalem, 7 January, 2026 (TPS-IL) — Israel will host the first international conference on artificial intelligence in education: a huge summit in Jerusalem with the participation of dozens of delegations from different countries and technology giants

In February 2026, the Ministry of Education in Jerusalem will launch the International Conference on Artificial Intelligence in Education, the opening shot for Realistic Israel Month.

The conference will serve as a broad platform for strategic connections, collaborations, and educational policy leadership in the age of artificial intelligence, establishing Israel as a central hub for educational innovation and a leader in the global dialogue on the future of learning.

The conference will bring together approximately 500 senior officials, including 30 delegations from around the world, alongside technology and futurism experts. During the conference, participants will be exposed to the educational and technological ecosystem in Israel and are expected to sign an international memorandum of understanding and the “Jerusalem Declaration.” This declaration is an Israeli initiative that constitutes a groundbreaking document of principles for leading joint educational initiatives among the participating countries.

Music is a language we all understand — even when words fall short.

The Ra’anana Jazz Festival, which opened last week, is far more than a cultural event; it is a celebration of regional cooperation, dialogue between countries, and cross-border connections woven through sound, instruments, and a shared love of music.

Throughout the festival, artists from Israel and across the region took part — including Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Georgia, Albania, Kosovo, North Macedonia, and more. Each brought the rhythm, spirit, and unique musical tradition of their country, coming together on one shared stage.

The Ministry for Regional Cooperation is proud to take part in an initiative like this — one that proves time and again how powerful human connection can be when we let it play.

Music is a language we all understand – even when we don’t have words. 

The Raanana Jazz Festival, which opened last week, is much more than a cultural event – it is a celebration of regional cooperation, of dialogue between countries, and of cross-border connections forged through sounds, instruments, and a love for music.

During the festival, artists from Israel and across the region were hosted: Morocco, Turkey, Greece, Cyprus, Georgia, Albania, Kosovo, Macedonia, and more – who brought with them the rhythm, spirit, and unique tradition of each country, and met on one shared stage.

The Ministry for Regional Cooperation is proud to take part in such an initiative – which proves time and again how strong human connection can be when allowed to play.

Last mounth our GSI delegate Dr. Ran Nof participated in the Intergovernmental Coordination Group for the Tsunami Early Warning and Mitigation System in the North-Eastern Atlantic, the Mediterranean and Connected Seas meeting At the UNESCO Center in Paris, France. The meeting serves as a platform for working groups and coordination between countries to help deal with and warn against tsunamis.

Link to the article

Jerusalem, 16 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — The Bank of Israel reported that the economy’s outstanding liabilities to abroad increased by approximately $16 billion (about 2.7%) in the third quarter, to about $625 billion at the end of the quarter. Nonresidents’ direct investments in Israel increased, including in share capital, relative to the previous four quarters. At the same time, the prices of Israeli securities held by nonresidents increased.

In the third quarter of 2025, the balance of assets held abroad by Israeli residents increased by approximately $33 billion (about 3.8%), to about $885 billion at the end of September. The increase was mainly due to an increase in the prices of foreign securities held by Israeli residents and net investments abroad by Israeli residents.

The surplus of assets over liabilities vis-à-vis abroad increased during the third quarter of 2025 by $16 billion (6.7%), to about $260 billion at the end of the quarter.

The surplus of assets over liabilities vis-à-vis abroad in debt instruments alone (negative net external debt) increased by about $6 billion (2.1%) during the third quarter, to approximately $318 billion at the end of September.

The ratio of gross external debt to GDP (in Dollar terms) declined by about 1.6 percentage points in the third quarter, to about 27.2% at the end of September.

Jerusalem, 14 December, 2025 (TPS-IL) — Israel has joined the Pax Silica initiative, a strategic move led by the United States that was unveiled during an international conference attended by nine leading countries in the fields of artificial intelligence, semiconductors and advanced industries. The conference, which took place on Friday in Washington, was attended by representatives from the United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the United Arab Emirates and Australia – all core countries of the global technology and artificial intelligence industry.

The initiative aims to build a safe, resilient and innovative technology ecosystem across the entire value chain – from the extraction of critical minerals and energy, through advanced manufacturing and chips, to AI infrastructure, data centers and logistics. It aims to forge a new and sustainable economic order for the age of artificial intelligence, and ensure shared prosperity for member states.

The Pax Silica initiative is a new international framework designed to unite leading technology countries and jointly establish the economic order of the artificial intelligence era.

The name “Pax Silica” draws inspiration from the Latin term Pax – peace, stability and continued prosperity – and the compound Silica, which forms the basis of silicon, the chemical element that enables the production of the chips necessary for the era of artificial intelligence.

The Prime Minister’s Office, this evening:
 
Israel has joined the Pax Silica Initiative, a strategic move led by the United States and unveiled during an international conference attended by nine leading countries in the fields of Artificial Intelligence (AI), semiconductors, and advanced industries. The conference, which took place yesterday (Friday) in Washington, was attended by representatives from Israel, the United States, Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, the UAE, and Australia – all core nations of the global technology and AI industry.
 
Representing the State of Israel at the conference, at the directive of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, were National Economic Council Director and Economic Advisor to the Prime Minister, Prof. Avi Simhon, along with the Chief Economist at the Finance Ministry, Dr. Shmuel Abramson, and Head of the National AI Directorate, Erez Eskel.
 
The initiative aims to build a secure, resilient, and innovative technological ecosystem across the entire value chain – from the extraction of critical minerals and energy, through advanced manufacturing and chips, to AI infrastructure, data centers, and logistics. It seeks to consolidate a new, sustainable economic order for the age of AI and ensure shared prosperity for the member countries.
 
National Economic Council Director Prof. Avi Simhon: 
 
“Israel‘s joining of the US-led Pax Silica Initiative is a badge of honor for the State of Israel and the Israeli high-tech industry, which is considered a global leader in innovation and Artificial Intelligence. Together with our international partners, we are working to fortify the global AI industry, strengthen the resilience of supply chains, and ensure the economic and security prosperity of the participating countries and their citizens.”
 
The participants committed to working in partnership in areas such as:
 
* Strengthening the supply chains of critical minerals, chips, and energy.
 
* Establishing joint ventures and shared strategic investments.
 
* Protecting sensitive technologies and infrastructures from access or control by hostile nations.
 
* Establishing a trustworthy technological ecosystem – including ICT systems, fiber optic cables, data centers, foundational models, and AI applications.
 
The Pax Silica Initiative serves as a new international framework designed to unite the leading technology nations and jointly establish the economic order of the Artificial Intelligence era.
 
The name “Pax Silica” draws inspiration from the Latin term Pax – peace, stability, and enduring prosperity – and the compound Silica, which forms the basis for silicon, the chemical element essential for producing the chips required for the age of AI.