The Arizona Israel trade office, located in the Alon Towers in Tel Aviv, is headed by entrepreneur David Yaari, who was previously selected as one of the 50 most influential personalities among US Jewry. It will focus on promoting economic growth by building international trade, investment, and technology relations between Israel and the Southeastern US state.
Arizona Governor Doug Ducey supported the initiative. "There is much in common between the State of Israel, which is the startup nation, and the State of Arizona, which is the startup state," he said.
Arizona's proximity to California, Texas, and Mexico make it a strategic hub with access to economic and commercial relationships, the office said. The state has low tax rates, a low cost of living, and a climate similar to Israel's, it added.
In 2018, the volume of cross-border trade between Israel and Arizona was $460 million, an increase of 2 times compared to 2010. Yaari said he hopes the presence in Israel will increase that to $1 billion a year.