(Foreign Policy) Ron Prosor - In December 2012, Israel introduced a UN General Assembly resolution titled "Entrepreneurship for Development" as part of its broader initiative to promote growth in the developing world. It passed with over 70% of member states raising their hands, including many countries without diplomatic ties to Israel. Not only did the entire Arab bloc vote against the measure, however, it waged a determined effort to undermine it from day one. On June 26, a group of Arab states boycotted a UN conference, co-hosted by the Israeli delegation, based on our December resolution. One would think that it's hard to find fault with bringing entrepreneurial innovation, creativity, and ingenuity to bear on some of the world's most pressing problems. Yet, the Arab bloc sought to undermine this event for one simple reason - Israel was one of the co-hosts. In just 65 years, Israel has become a recognized leader in innovation and is eager to demonstrate that its evolution from a relatively poor country to a prosperous member of the OECD can be replicated by other states. Ironically, few regions could benefit more from entrepreneurship than the Arab world, where 20% of the population lives on less than $2 per day. The writer is Israel's ambassador to the UN.
2013-07-17 00:00:00Full ArticleBACK Visit the Daily Alert Archive