Qatar and "Israel”: Trade and Technologic cooperation

Hilmi Moussa - Assafir newspaper

"Israeli" business newspaper Calcalist unveiled a looming visit by a member of Qatari Prince family to "Israel." It said that the visit would take place in forthcoming November, in an official and announced form, and that it would be the first visit of the Head of Qatari Commerce Chamber, Sheikh Khalifa Bin Jassem Al-Thani. This visit aims to boost cooperation with "Israel" in the field of technology. According to the newspaper, Sheikh Khalifa's visit to "Israel" will be on the occasion of the inauguration of the "Israeli"-Palestinian Trade Arbitration Center.

The newspaper explained that the center is a joint project between the President of the International Chamber of Commerce in "Israel," General Oren Shachor, and the President of ICC in Palestine Mounib Masri. It has been agreed upon establishing this center after the admission of Palestine as a member at the International Chamber of Commerce three years ago.

Seemingly, "Israel" visit of the Qatari Sheikh, who is very close to Qatar's Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, was planned on the sidelines of the eighth world conference of ICC in Doha, which wrapped up days ago. The newspaper published a photo of Sheikh Khalifa, who is considered a key figure of Qatar's foreign trade movement, sitting with General Shachor. Both men's meeting was held with the knowledge of Qatari PM, Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassem Al-Thani.

The unofficial trade movement between "Israel" and Qatar nowadays includes a number of products, none of which is high tech. According to the Calcalist, the Qatari government is now concerned with bolstering its high tech sector through acquiring expertise and technologies, and through encouraging "Israeli" tech companies to export development projects to Qatar, instead of India or east Europe. Qatar hopes, by attracting "Israeli" companies, to provide better job opportunities for its engineers who graduate every year from the world's top universities.

The Calcalist also confirmed that the schedule of Sheikh Khalifa's visit to "Israel" will be crystallized within the coming months, and that it will comprise meetings with senior "Israeli" officials from the technology sector. During their meeting, Sheikh Khalifa and General Shachor agreed to enhance bilateral relations.
On the other hand, the newspaper pointed out at a fleeting meeting between General Shachor and a top Iranian political and economic personality.