Economy and Industry Minister Nir Barkat hosted German Minister for Economic Affairs and Energy Katherina Reiche, who was accompanied by a 70-member business delegation representing some of the most successful and important German companies.
At a press conference conducted by the two ministers at the King David Hotel in Jerusalem, Barkat said: “The economic relationship between Israel and Germany goes far beyond trade figures. Germany is our largest trading partner in the European Union and a true strategic partner – a country with which we are jointly building a future of growth, innovation, and prosperity for both economies.
“Germany serves as a home for many Israeli companies in Europe, and the connection between our economies, each bringing different relative advantages, allows for deep and valuable cooperation. We seek to expand both production and imports, based on the understanding that each has a vital role in strengthening the economy and resilience of both countries.”
Barkat made a point of thanking Reiche for her clear support for Israel, including in the European arena.
Both ministers noted that this is the 60th anniversary year of bilateral ties, marking 60 years since the establishment of diplomatic relations between Israel and Germany – a partnership based on deep trust and mutual respect, and strong and stable economic cooperation, which each wishes to deepen even further.
Reiche remarked that Israel has developed into a leading innovation and start-up hub, a model from which Germany can learn. “Closer cooperation with Israel can further boost the competitiveness of our economy by providing access to groundbreaking technologies, highly qualified professionals, and joint dual-reality projects in the fields of research and development,” she said.
Israeli exports to Germany in the first nine months of 2025 reached a total of $2.3 billion, an increase of 25% compared to the corresponding period last year. Imports from Germany to Israel during this period totaled $4.5b., maintaining a level similar to that of the corresponding period last year.
While in Jerusalem, Reiche and her entourage stayed at the King David Hotel, and in Tel Aviv at the Dan Hotel, where former German chancellor Angela Merkel had stayed the previous month.
It’s not exactly surprising that German dignitaries stay at hotels in the Dan chain. Michael Federmann, who happens to head the Israel-Germany Chamber of Commerce, also heads the Dan chain, founded by his late father and uncle, who were both born in Germany.
Israeli Scientist earns prestigious US fellowship
Academics' boycotts notwithstanding, Israeli academics continue to make headway abroad. Among the more recent is Prof. Hossam Haick of Haifa’s Technion-Israel Institute of Technology, who has been elected fellow of the US-based National Academy of Inventors, which includes US and international universities, government agencies, and nonprofit research institutes.
Haick’s election signifies prestigious international recognition of his groundbreaking achievements and his impact on global innovation, and is considered the highest professional honor awarded to inventors in the United States and worldwide. It reflects broad and significant recognition of Haick’s scientific achievements, his groundbreaking inventions, and the global impact of his work in health, technology, and education.
He is among a select group of researchers and inventors worldwide who have completed the full innovation cycle: from basic scientific discovery, through technological development, to real-world impact that touches the lives of millions. In an academic landscape where basic and applied science are often separate, he stands out as someone who bridges these worlds, translating deep scientific discoveries into clinical and technological tools with global influence.
His work led to the emergence of a new scientific field – volatilomics, which focuses on volatile biomarkers and chemical signals that characterize disease states.
Haick is a pioneer in identifying molecular signatures of diseases through breath and skin analysis. This breakthrough has enabled the development of rapid, non-invasive diagnostic methods that produce accurate results within minutes and have been validated in numerous clinical centers worldwide. In addition, his group has developed smart patches for advanced sensing in remote medicine and robotics, as well as molecular imaging technologies based on chemical signatures that require no radiation, enabling early detection and personalized diagnosis.
On the industrial and applied side, Haick holds dozens of patents and has founded several start-up companies based on his inventions. These companies have contributed to the implementation of revolutionary technologies in diagnostics, wearable devices, and electronic sensing. He also founded and leads seven European Union consortia, comprising more than 70 partners across four continents, promoting the development and clinical application of advanced medical technologies on a global scale.
In the academic arena, Haick has published more than 500 scientific papers and authored two books in the field of sensing and volatile biomarkers. He is considered an influential educator in scientific innovation and has supervised more than 110 graduate and postdoctoral students, many of whom now lead research groups and technology companies. The online course he developed on nanotechnology and nanosensors – the first of its kind in the world – has reached more than one million learners from 87 countries.
Haick will be officially inducted into the National Academy of Inventors on June 4, at a ceremony in Los Angeles.
Hebrew University scientist wins EMBO young investigator honor
Faculty members and researchers at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem have also received a number of prestigious honors over the past year.
Among them is Prof. Moran Yassour, a leading researcher at the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Science and Engineering.
Yassour has been selected as one of the 2025 EMBO Young Investigators. EMBO, which stands for European Molecular Biology Organization, is a professional nonprofit organization of well over 2,000 life scientists, which is based in Germany.
Yassour has been recognized for her innovative research on the developing infant microbiome and its impact on pediatric health.
She is among 28 exceptional scientists worldwide chosen this year for the four-year EMBO Young Investigator Programme, which acknowledges and supports outstanding young group leaders in the life sciences. Her research explores how microbial communities develop in early life and shape short- and long-term health outcomes, with major implications for understanding immune development, childhood disease, and personalized medicine.
According to HU Rector Prof. Oron Shagrir, “Prof. Moran Yassour represents the very best of Hebrew University’s spirit of innovation and scientific excellence. Her groundbreaking work on the infant microbiome not only advances our understanding of human health but also reflects the deep commitment of our researchers to improving lives. We congratulate her on this well-deserved honor and are excited to see where her discoveries lead.”
EMBO Director Fiona Watt said the organization is delighted to welcome the new young investigators. “Their outstanding achievements demonstrate the excellence and ambition that will drive progress in the life sciences,” she said in the organization’s announcement. “We are pleased to support these young group leaders as they take the next steps in their careers, and we look forward to their discoveries and contributions to our community.”
Yassour is the Rosalind, Paul and Robin Berlin Faculty Development Chair in Perinatal Research, the head of the Computer Science and Computational Biology program, and a co-director of the Hebrew University Center for Computational Medicine. She is jointly appointed at the Faculty of Medicine and the School of Computer Science and Engineering at Hebrew University. Her research combines computational biology, microbiology, and pediatric medicine to uncover how early-life microbial development influences health trajectories.
Her work has advanced the understanding of how the human gut microbiome is established and how delivery mode impacts its early-life trajectory. She demonstrated that specific bacterial strains are often transmitted from mother to infant, especially via the maternal gut rather than the vaginal microbiome, and explored the impact of breastfeeding on the developing infant gut microbiome.
Her recent work focuses on the infant gut microbiome in disease, particularly in premature infants, infants with food allergy, and pediatric inflammatory bowel diseases. Her lab collaborates widely with clinicians, computational scientists, and microbiologists in Israel and internationally.
Taking into account all the research that has come out of Israel to produce an enormous range of essential therapies and products, one wonders which, if any, of these boycotters of Israel will reject. If they don’t reject, whenever they look in the mirror, they will see a hypocrite.
United Hatzalah launches first electric response scooter
After introducing ambucycles, which enable paramedics to get to the sick and the injured in a much faster time than an ambulance, which cannot always get through traffic congestion or through difficult terrain, United Hatzalah has now gone to the next level, and together with Flash Motors has developed the first fully electric emergency response scooter of its kind. Built to glide through traffic, ride straight into buildings, and reach spots where even an ambucycle can’t, this lightweight but powerful unit carries a full advanced medical kit and is engineered for speed, stability, and extreme maneuverability in tight urban spaces. It’s a major step toward reaching every emergency within United Hatzalah’s 90-second goal.
The pilot program has been launched in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem, and according to UH founder and President Eli Beer, “We’re just getting started.”
But it’s not all good news at UH. Beer has mounted a campaign for the family of UH volunteer Chemi Erlanger, whom Beer describes as “a hero in every sense”. A long-time ranking United Hatzalah volunteer, he devoted his life to saving others. Erlanger was killed by a reckless driver while riding his ambucycle in the line of duty, responding to a call.
He was a soldier in the IDF, a generous individual, and a first responder who never refused a cry for help. He leaves behind a wife and five children. “Today it is his family that is crying out,” says Beer.
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