Direct foreign investment in Israel dropped by 46%, owing to the 2014 assault on Gaza and the effects of international boycotts, according to the UN's trade and development agency (UNCTAD) in a
report published last week.
Ynet reports that:
in 2014 $6.4 billion were invested in Israel, whereas in 2013 $11.8 billion were invested - a decline of about 46%.
Moreover, Israeli FDI investments abroad also decreased from $4.67 billion in 2013 to $3.97 billion, a decrease of 15%. These figures are significantly lower than the corresponding figures from 2007 to 2005, before the outbreak of the financial crisis in 2008.
The report was co-authored by Dr. Ronny Manos, an Israeli economist, who gave specific reasons for the decline in direct foreign investment in Israel:
"We believe that what led to the drop in investment in Israel are Operation Protective Edge and the boycotts Israel is facing," she told Israeli news outlet Ynet News.
"In the past there were large transactions such as Waze [a traffic app] and ISCAR Metalworking [supplier of metal tools] which boosted investment, but over the past year there were not enough such deals."
http://europe.newsweek.com/...
The report also noted that foreign direct investment fell globally by 16%.
During the 51-day assault on Gaza, Israel reportedly spent over a billion shekels ($264 million). Hamas was able to shut down Israel's main airport in Tel Aviv, which deterred tourists:
Further, the threat of rockets also deterred tourists, where 40% of the Israeli tourism sector is garnered from the summer months, and slowed consumption, especially in Israel's southern regions near the Gaza Strip
http://europe.newsweek.com/...
BDS Gets Traction
The boycott divestment and sanctions movement continues to make gains. In April, it was reported that French giant Veolia sold all its Israeli businesses that had been targeted by the boycott campaign.
In June, French telecom giant, Orange, released a statement on its website clearly stating it's desire to decouple from the Israeli telecom firm, Partner, which operates in the West Bank on stolen Palestinian land. Partner is a Haim Saban concern, by the way.
Also in June, the Norwegian pension fund KLP excluded two companies (Heidelburg Cement and Cemex) "on the grounds of their exploitation of natural resources in occupied territory on the West Bank. In KLP’s opinion this activity constitutes an unacceptable risk of violating fundamental ethical norms."
This weekend the Episcopal Church, meeting in Salt Lake City, will consider divestment. Both the the United Church of Christ and the First Congregational Church of Old Lyme, CT, are also meeting to consider divestment.
Israel Strikes Back
Perhaps this is why Benjamin Netanyahu has taken to comparing the BDS movement to Nazi Germany. And why the former finance minister, Yair Lapid, compared the BDS movement leaders to those who perpetrated 9/11. And why Haim Saban and Sheldon Adelson came together in June to raise millions to fight BDS. And why AIPAC was busy (and was successful at) inserting anti-boycott language in the TPA.
The Arc of the Moral Universe...
...bends toward justice.
Millions of people cannot remain stateless indefinitely. Millions cannot be blockaded indefinitely. Hundreds of thousands cannot be expelled from their homes without redress. Millions cannot remain under occupation. Land cannot be stolen without compensation. Not in the 21st century. Not since the Geneva Conventions. Not since the Nuremberg Principles.
Learn more about BDS, the non-violent movement with the goal to restore the rights of Palestinian refugees, Palestinians living under occupations, and Palestinian citizens of Israel.