Editorial - Cooperation, Sharing, Peace

by Joy Hunting

THIS IS ALWAYS WHAT ISRAEL IS ON ABOUT: COOPERATION, SHARING, PEACE

If we discover for ourselves what the media by and large do not tell us we will find that Israel is always in the forefront of cooperating with researchers in all nations, sharing expertise and findings with others, and living and longing for the day when peace with their neighbours will have been achieved. The following are some areas in which this can be plainly seen:-

1. Multilateral peace talks on water resources (from NER December 1993): Recent talks held in Beijing and continued later in Oman moved from ideas to discussions of concrete proposals, which included building canals from the Mediterranean to the Jordan River and the Dead Sea, and establishing a data base on water resources. Israel also suggested regional cooperation to increase rainfall by use of 'cloud seeding', a proposal which interested several Arab countries. Israel received praise from the U.S. and E.C. for building a desalination plant at one of the refugee camps in the Gaza Strip.
2. Aiding U.S. southwestern states purify their water (from Features from Israel): The innovative use of fish in reservoirs has enhanced the purity of drinking water as well as improve its taste. Algae, submerged plants, snails, clams, insect larvae and small fish, naturally present in canals and water supplies, can cause foul tastes and odours. Israeli scientifists use nine different types of fish to feed off these nuisances, and, by maintaining the biological equilibrium, have had success in their own country as well as in Italy and some of the southwestern states of the U.S.
3. Peace and Prosperity all round (from Jerusalem Dateline): Something that could point the way to a cleaner future involves the development of high powered batteries. Tel Aviv University has a new calcium power unit that is resistant to explosion at high temperatures; it resists charging and reversal abuse, and could soon replace lithium batteries. Since Israel believes there should be no barriers on knowledge, and that discoveries are best shared, her scientists will continue to work and travel to many countries cooperating with others to prepare for the future. She is ready to work with Arab countries to create a pool of wealth and prosperity in the Middle East. Projects in the Egyptian Western Desert are already bearing encouraging results, showing that the only way forward is through peace.
4. Drug to prevent blindness (from Bridges For Peace): Doctors in Israel have found a drug which stops the body from rejecting organ transplants can also save sight. It can control inflammation, for example, by slowing the inflammatory process, by sometimes halting it altogether, and by enabling ophthamologists to perform eye surgery. Ophthamologists from Egypt, where the level of ocular infections and inflammations remains high, are very interested in the new Israeli technique which can make a large-scale difference.
5. Israeli beetles help save Californian crops (from Bridges For Peace): Some tiny but voracious Israeli beetles have a new assignment: keeping Californian-grown fruit and vegetables safe from the dreaded silverleaf whitefly. The Israeli ladybird beetle has been successful against the citrus whitefly which has threatened Israel's fruit crop; now it is hoped it will be as successful against the Californian whiteflies.

Israel has a most commendable record in developing and then sharing with others, from Third World countries to more affluent and sophisticated economies. If it's good enough for God to promise: "I will bless them that bless you (Israel) " , then surely we should also bless Israel when Israel is a blessing to others!

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