LA Times -by Anthony York MOUNTAIN VIEW — Gov. Jerry Brown and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu came to the heart of the Silicon Valley on Wednesday and signed a deal that would promote trade and joint research between the Jewish state and California.
The ceremony at the Computer History Museum was the latest international agreement signed by Brown, who led a trade mission to China last year and plans to take a delegation to Mexico this summer.
The governor, a three-time failed presidential candidate who has said he will not be a candidate in 2016, said he will continue to forge accords with international leaders as an end-run around partisan gridlock in Washington, D.C.
“California and Israel will build on their respective strengths in research and technology to confront critical problems we both face, such as water scarcity, cybersecurity and climate change,” Brown said.
Netanyahu hailed California’s role as an innovator in a number of different fields, and called for a nonstop flight from the Bay Area to Tel Aviv to create “an explosion of innovation.”
Israel is home to more NASDAQ companies than any country outside of the United States, including many of the world’s leading cybersecurity firms, and technology was a major focus of the prime minister’s visit.
The museum is surrounded by business parks, most of are occupied by Google, which has its headquarters less than a mile away.
The controversial white luxury buses that shuttle Google employees from San Francisco and other Bay Area cities circle around the streets, making way for workers cruising around on dozens of company-provided bikes, which are painted in Google rainbow colors. Outside the museum, protesters with Palestinian flags gathered hours before Netanyahu’s arrival. Just behind them, a group of the prime minister’s supporters huddled under an Israeli banner.
After meeting with President Obama in Washington on Tuesday, Netanyahu was scheduled to meet with some of the region’s top CEOs Wednesday, including tours of Apple’s Cupertino, Calif., campus and a meeting with Jan Koum, CEO of WhatsApp, which was just acquired by Facebook for $19 billion.
Brown, meanwhile, made a point of focusing on the state drought, which is costing California farmers billions of dollars and is becoming a growing political issue in the state.
“We have a long way to go,” Brown said of the state’s water conservation efforts. “Israel has demonstrated how efficient a country can be,” Brown said.
Netanyahu noted that because of advanced recycling, desalination and other conservation efforts, “Israel does not have a water problem” despite its situation in an arid part of the world. California doesn’t need to have a water problem. By working together we can overcome this.”
Netanyahu also made his first comments about his country’s seizure of an Iranian ship loaded with weapons that Israeli officials say was headed for the Palestinian Territories.
“This shows the true face of Iran,” he said. “It has not changed one iota. This regime must not be allowed to have nuclear weapons capability.”
Thanks to Kevin.
Cooperation?? How about they let people know when bibi will be going to dinner in malibu…DURING RUSH HOUR!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 3 “F”ing hours on PCH!! Which happens to be THE ONLY ROAD there.
Yes this is just another way for netanyahu and isreal to infiltrate businesses in Calif.
Makes me sick even thinking they are partners in silicon valley/california now. This deal pretty much gives isreal pretty much unliminted say and involvement now with these businesses there doesn`t it?
Yes we need to hear more of these deals like this that are going on here in america.
This is going on in our community, as well, but on a smaller scale and off the radar of most of the people who live here. Local counties are sending and welcoming delegations from other countries for “cultural exchanges” to meet with business and community leaders, to promote business and other partnerships…. what concerns me is that this is hidden from view and also once some people (regular community folks) start to find out and protest or try to involve themselves, there is pushback and exclusion. One of the tactics is to have community members on committees as mere rubber stampers, so that they can say there was community input and representation, but if that person tries to offer actual input or think for themselves, or be a true community advocate, they are drowned out by the others. At least…. where I live….
That’s called the delphi principle.
Call townhall
put three speakers up
promise to answer questions after
*CONTENT*
Okay, if you have questions will be dividing you up into three groups.
Contractors and Business who want to exploit the “thing”
Those effected
Media
Right in room 1 Cha Ching
in room 2 – we’re sorry we can’t answer that question
in room 3 – Parrot ville.
welcome to ICLEI surfs and subjects
DAMN! That scumbag was in CA, and no one nailed his sorry @ss?
I go away for 4 days, and miss all kinds of news.