2021.12.16 國際新聞導讀-伊朗與國際原子能總署達成部分協議展現和解契機、阿聯大公國猶豫不想買F35、沙烏地阿拉伯說只要以色列撤回1967年邊界線則全世界穆斯林國家願意與以色列建交、巴勒斯坦因為無限期獨裁缺乏選舉而貪腐不斷、以色列2021年新創高科技創下發展新紀錄募集250億美元資金

蘇老師講解國際新聞、中東與中亞歷史、中國事務、太空知識的頻道。 Diplomat's daily news review and history research on Middle East and Central Asia, China Affairs and Space Exploration

2021.12.16 國際新聞導讀-伊朗與國際原子能總署達成部分協議展現和解契機、阿聯大公國猶豫不想買F35、沙烏地阿拉伯說只要以色列撤回1967年邊界線則全世界穆斯林國家願意與以色列建交、巴勒斯坦因為無限期獨裁缺乏選舉而貪腐不斷、以色列2021年新創高科技創下發展新紀錄募集250億美元資金
伊朗與國際原子能機構就有爭議的核問題達成部分協議
儘管已達成部分協議，但伊朗與國際原子能機構之間的一些爭端仍未解決。
作者：尤娜傑瑞米鮑勃
伊朗和國際原子能機構（IAEA）週三就雙方存在爭議的核問題達成了部分協議，但其他有爭議的問題仍懸而未決。
一些爭端可以追溯到摩薩德在 2018 年 4 月披露伊斯蘭共和國的核檔案時發現未申報的非法核活動的證據，有些是在 2 月，有些是在 6 月。
9 月中旬，國際原子能機構總幹事拉斐爾·格羅西宣布他已就許多有爭議的問題達成協議，但不到兩週後，他說德黑蘭違背了協議。
從那以後，國際原子能機構董事會曾兩次威脅要譴責伊朗，並可能將其提交聯合國安理會。然而，由於在維也納與世界大國進行更廣泛的核談判的潛力，每次它都決定給該政權更多的時間。
該協議是在美國為解決該問題設定的最後期限前兩周達成的，與此同時，伊朗與世界大國之間正在進行的關於重返 2015 年 JCPOA 核協議的談判不穩定。
去年伊朗位於伊斯法罕的納坦茲核設施發生火災後，一座建築物受損。（信用：伊朗原子能組織/路透社）
“由於已完成對受影響攝像機的司法和安全檢查，以及 IAEA 採取措施譴責對 Tessa 綜合設施的破壞行為，伊朗已自願授權該機構用新攝像機更換損壞的攝像機，”Nour News伊朗方面在最初的含糊聲明中說。
幾小時後，國際原子能機構詳細闡述了這筆交易，稱根據格羅西與伊朗原子能組織負責人穆罕默德·埃斯拉米之間的協議，它將很快在伊朗的卡拉傑離心機部件製造車間安裝新的監控攝像頭。
“將在未來幾天安裝的攝像機將取代今年早些時候從卡拉吉工廠拆除的攝像機。此外，該機構和伊朗將繼續致力於解決尚未解決的保障問題，以期解決這些問題，”聲明說。
“與伊朗就更換卡拉吉設施的監控攝像機達成的協議是原子能機構在伊朗的核查和監測活動的重要進展。它將使我們能夠在該設施中恢復必要的知識連續性，”格羅西說。“我真誠地希望我們能夠繼續我們的建設性討論，以解決和解決伊朗所有懸而未決的保障問題。”
據國際原子能機構稱，雙方的協議包括以下內容：
• 該機構和伊朗將繼續致力於解決尚未解決的保障問題。為此，伊朗和該機構將進行一系列信息交流和評估，包括通過專家會議。
• 該機構將在 12 月 19 日在機構檢查員在場的情況下向伊朗提供樣品相機和相關技術信息，供其相關安全和司法官員進行分析。
• 該機構將在 2021 年 12 月底之前（即機構與伊朗商定的日期）重新安裝攝像機，以取代從卡拉季車間拆除的攝像機，並進行其他相關技術活動。
伊朗已向國際原子能機構展示了它從卡拉傑取下的四台攝像機中的前三台，以及包含他們鏡頭的“數據存儲媒體”，但一個包含被毀壞的攝像機鏡頭的除外。
伊斯蘭共和國聲稱它沒有摧毀相機，而是在 6 月的一次摩薩德破壞行動中摧毀了它。
事實上，德黑蘭以所謂的以色列襲擊為藉口，將 IAEA 推遲到現在才恢復對該場址進行監測。
鑑於伊朗多年來一直可以使用 IAEA 的攝像機，協議中關於伊朗檢查 IAEA 攝像機的部分很可能也旨在公開強調這一點。
伊朗似乎仍將阻止 IAEA 獲得有關實時查看攝像機鏡頭的一些權限，目前尚不清楚 IAEA 是否已重新獲得對先前鏡頭的完全訪問權限。
一些國防和情報官員聲稱，伊朗利用自 6 月以來將IAEA拒之門外的時期，將其 60% 的濃縮鈾的一部分走私到秘密地點，以便秘密發展核武器或保留選擇權。
Iran, IAEA reach partial deal on disputed nuclear issues
Though a partial deal has been reached, some disputes between Iran and the IAEA are still unresolved.
By YONAH JEREMY BOB
Published: DECEMBER 15, 2021 13:54
Updated: DECEMBER 15, 2021 20:09
Iranian flag flies in front of the UN office building, housing IAEA headquarters, amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, in Vienna, Austria, May 24, 2021.
(photo credit: LISI NIESNER/ REUTERS)
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Iran and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) on Wednesday reached a partial deal on nuclear issues that had been in dispute between the sides, while leaving other disputed issues open.
Some of the disputes date back to evidence the Mossad found of undeclared illicit nuclear activities with the disclosure of the Islamic Republic’s nuclear archive in April 2018, some to February and some to June.
In mid-September, IAEA Director-General Rafael Grossi announced he had reached a deal on many of the issues in dispute, but less than two weeks later he said that Tehran had reneged on the deal.
Since then, the IAEA board of directors has threatened twice to condemn Iran and potentially to refer it to the UN Security Council. However, each time it has decided to give the regime more time due to the potential of broader nuclear talks in Vienna with the world powers.
The deal comes two weeks before a deadline the US imposed for the issue being resolved and in parallel to ongoing shaky talks between Iran and the world powers about a return to the 2015 JCPOA nuclear deal.
A BUILDING is damaged after a fire broke out at Iran's Natanz nuclear facility in Isfahan last year. (credit: ATOMIC ORGANIZATION OF IRAN/REUTERs)
“Due to the completion of judicial and security checks on the affected cameras, as well as the IAEA’s steps to condemn the act of vandalism against the Tessa complex, Iran has voluntarily authorized the agency to replace the damaged cameras with new ones,” Nour News said in an initial vague announcement from the Iranian side.
Hours later, the IAEA elaborated on the deal, saying it would soon install new surveillance cameras at Iran’s Karaj centrifuge component manufacturing workshop under an agreement between Grossi and the head of the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran, Mohammad Eslami.
“The cameras, to be installed in the coming days, will replace those that were removed from the Karaj facility earlier this year. In addition, the agency and Iran will continue to work on remaining outstanding safeguards issues with the aim of resolving them,” said the statement.
“The agreement with Iran on replacing surveillance cameras at the Karaj facility is an important development for the IAEA’s verification and monitoring activities in Iran. It will enable us to resume necessary continuity of knowledge at this facility,” Grossi said. “I sincerely hope that we can continue our constructive discussions to also address and resolve all outstanding safeguards issues in Iran.”
According to the IAEA, the agreement between the two sides includes the following elements:
• The agency and Iran will continue to work on remaining outstanding safeguards issues with the aim of resolving them. To this end, Iran and the agency will conduct a series of exchanges of information and assessments, including through meetings of experts.
• The agency will make available a sample camera and related technical information to Iran for analysis by its relevant security and judiciary officials, in the presence of the agency inspectors, on December 19.
• The agency will reinstall cameras to replace those removed from the workshop at Karaj and perform other related technical activities before the end of December 2021, on a date agreed between the agency and Iran.
Iran has shown the IAEA the prior three of four cameras that it had removed from Karaj and “data storage media” containing their footage, except for the one containing a destroyed camera’s footage.
The Islamic Republic has claimed it did not destroy the camera, but, rather, that it was destroyed by a Mossad sabotage operation in June.
In fact, Tehran has used the excuse of the alleged Israeli attack as its reason for delaying the IAEA’s return to monitoring the site until now.
The part of the agreement regarding Iran inspecting the IAEA’s cameras was likely also directed at publicly emphasizing that point, given that Iran has had access to the IAEA’s cameras for years.
It appeared that Iran was still going to withhold some access from the IAEA regarding viewing the cameras’ footage in real time, and it was unclear if the IAEA had regained full access to prior footage.
Some defense and intelligence officials have alleged that Iran has used the period of shutting out the IAEA since June to smuggle portions of its 60% enriched uranium to clandestine sites to either proceed toward a nuclear weapon covertly or preserve the option.
美國和巴勒斯坦權力機構重新啟動特朗普凍結的經濟對話
拜登政府已經恢復了這些關係，並重新向巴勒斯坦人提供了財政捐助。
作者：托瓦·拉扎羅夫
發佈時間： 2021 年 12 月 15 日 13:31
更新時間： 2021 年 12 月 15 日 21:41
5 月，親巴勒斯坦示威者在以色列駐洛杉磯領事館外抗議。
（照片來源：露西·尼科爾森/路透社）
廣告
拜登政府重啟了被前總統唐納德特朗普凍結的美巴經濟對話小組。
“發展巴勒斯坦經濟將在推進我們的總體政治目標方面發揮關鍵作用：通過談判達成兩國解決方案，一個可行的巴勒斯坦國與以色列和平安全地毗鄰共存，”美國近東事務助理國務卿 Yael Lempert在周二的虛擬會議上告訴該小組。
參加會議的有以色列和巴勒斯坦事務副助理國務卿哈迪·阿姆爾、美國巴勒斯坦事務處處長喬治·諾爾、以及負責非洲和中東事務的財政部副助理部長埃里克·邁耶。
巴勒斯坦代表團包括巴勒斯坦民族經濟部部長 Khaled al-Osaily、信息技術和通信部部長 Ishaq Sider 以及巴勒斯坦權力機構能源和自然資源管理局主席 Zafer Melhem。
該小組最後一次見面是在五年前。週二，它討論了增加巴勒斯坦貿易和改善美國市場准入的投資機會和方法，包括巴勒斯坦和美國企業之間的倡議。與會者還談到了可再生能源機會和環保舉措。
US and PA renew economic dialogue frozen under Trump
The Biden administration has restored those ties and has renewed its financial contribution to the Palestinians.
By TOVAH LAZAROFF
Published: DECEMBER 15, 2021 13:31
Updated: DECEMBER 15, 2021 21:41
PRO-PALESTINE demonstrators protest outside the Israeli Consulate in Los Angeles in May.
(photo credit: LUCY NICHOLSON / REUTERS)
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The Biden administration has renewed the US-Palestinian Economic Dialogue group frozen by former president Donald Trump.
“Growing the Palestinian economy will play a critical role in advancing our overarching political goal: a negotiated two-state solution, with a viable Palestinian state living side by side in peace and security with Israel,” US Assistant Secretary for Near Eastern Affairs Yael Lempert told the group during a virtual meeting on Tuesday.
Those who participated included Deputy Assistant Secretary for Israel and Palestinian Affairs Hady Amr, US Palestinian Affairs Unit Chief George Noll, and Deputy Assistant Secretary of the Treasury for Africa and the Middle East Eric Meyer.
The Palestinian delegation included Palestinian Authority Minister of National Economy Khaled al-Osaily, Minister of Information Technology and Communication Ishaq Sider, and the chairman of the PA Energy and Natural Resources Authority Zafer Melhem.
The group last met five years ago. On Tuesday it discussed investment opportunities and ways to increase Palestinian trade and improve access to the US markets, including initiatives between Palestinian and US businesses. The participants also spoke about renewable energy opportunities and environmental initiatives.
US President Joe Biden (credit: REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE)
“This year’s dialogue was a testament to the importance of US-Palestinian economic relations and the opportunity to increase collaboration on economic issues of shared importance,” the State Department said.
Relations between the PA and the US were severed during the Trump years, with the US halting its financial assistance. The Biden administration has restored those ties and has renewed its financial contribution to the Palestinians, including to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency.
美國總統喬拜登（來源：REUTERS/KEVIN LAMARQUE）
“今年的對話證明了美巴經濟關係的重要性，以及在具有共同重要性的經濟問題上加強合作的機會，”國務院表示。
巴勒斯坦權力機構與美國之間的關係在特朗普執政期間斷絕，美國停止提供財政援助。拜登政府已經恢復了這些關係，並重新向巴勒斯坦人提供了財政捐助，包括對聯合國救濟和工程署的捐助。
如果以色列撤回67'線，“整個穆斯林世界”將承認以色列
沙特駐聯合國代表表示，如果以色列撤回綠線，“整個穆斯林世界”將承認以色列。
通過耶路撒冷郵報STAFF
發佈時間： 2021 年 12 月 15 日 10:17
沙特阿拉伯國旗。
（圖片來源：路透社）
廣告
沙特阿拉伯駐聯合國代表 Abdallah Al-Mouallimi 週日在接受阿拉伯新聞採訪時表示，一旦以色列撤回 67 年邊界，“整個穆斯林世界”將與以色列實現關係正常化。
沙特代表說：“沙特官方和最新的立場是，一旦以色列實施了 2002 年提出的沙特和平倡議的要素，我們就準備與以色列實現關係正常化。”
該倡議呼籲恢復到 1967 年之前以綠線為標誌的邊界，並建立一個以東耶路撒冷為首都的獨立巴勒斯坦國。“一旦發生這種情況，”Al-Mouallimi 說，“不僅沙特阿拉伯，而且整個穆斯林世界，[伊斯蘭合作組織] (OIC) 的所有 57 個國家都將效仿承認以色列並與她建立關係。”
採訪者還問到，考慮到“幾十年來一無所獲”，沙特阿拉伯希望對以色列目前的政策做出什麼改變。
沙特代表回應稱，“時間不會改變對錯”。
“無論持續多久，以色列對巴勒斯坦領土的佔領都是錯誤的，”Al-Mouallimi 對阿拉伯新聞說。“以色列在約旦河西岸和加沙地帶的做法——關於定居點和圍困，以及關於剝奪巴勒斯坦人的尊嚴和權利——是錯誤的，即使需要數年時間也不會改變。所以時間與對錯無關。”
這一立場類似於沙特官員過去發表的聲明。
就在 2020 年亞伯拉罕協議宣布後不久，沙特外交部長費薩爾·本·法爾漢親王表示， “以色列將在該地區佔據一席之地——但為了實現這一點並使其可持續，我們需要巴勒斯坦人獲得他們的狀態並解決這種情況。”
關於伊朗，Al-Mouallimi 表示，沙特阿拉伯和伊朗在巴格達的會談沒有帶來任何“重大成果”。
“伊朗人對這些會談持長期態度，”該代表說。“我們不是為了會談而會談，或者為了拍照機會而會談。我們希望將這些討論推向涉及伊朗政府在該地區行為的實質性問題，我們希望伊朗人能夠能夠對這一努力作出實物回應。但只要伊朗人繼續玩弄這些談判，他們就不會去任何地方。”
'Entire Muslim world' will recognize Israel if it withdraws to 67' line
The Saudi representative to the UN said the "entire Muslim world" will recognize Israel if it withdraws to the Green Line.
By JERUSALEM POST STAFF
Published: DECEMBER 15, 2021 10:17
A SAUDI ARABIAN flag.
(photo credit: REUTERS)
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The "entire Muslim world" will normalize relations with Israel once it withdraws to the '67 boundary, Saudi Arabia's representative to the United Nations, Abdallah Al-Mouallimi, said in an interview with Arab News on Sunday.
"The official and latest Saudi position is that we are prepared to normalize relations with Israel as soon as Israel implements the elements of the Saudi peace initiative that was presented in 2002," said the Saudi representative.
The initiative calls for a return to the boundaries marked by the Green Line up until 1967 and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with east Jerusalem as its capital. "As soon as that happens," said Al-Mouallimi, "not only Saudi Arabia, but the entire Muslim world, all 57 countries of the [Organization of Islamic Cooperation] (OIC), would follow suit in terms of recognizing the State of Israel and establishing relations with her."
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The interviewer also asked what Saudi Arabia expected to change with its current policy towards Israel, considering that "it has achieved nothing in decades."
The Saudi representative responded that "Time does not change right or wrong."
"The Israeli occupation of Palestinian territories is wrong, no matter how long it lasts," said Al-Mouallimi to Arab News. "Israeli practices in the West Bank and Gaza - with regards to settlements and with regards to the siege and with regards to denying the Palestinians their dignity and their rights - is wrong and that doesn't change even if it takes years passing by. So time has nothing to do with right or wrong."
The position is similar to statements issued by Saudi officials in the past.
Not long after the Abraham Accords were announced in 2020, Saudi Foreign Ministry Prince Faisal bin Farhan stated that "Israel will take its place in the region – but in order for that to happen and for that to be sustainable, we need for the Palestinians to get their state and settle that situation.”
Concerning Iran, Al-Mouallimi said that talks between Saudi Arabia and Iran in Baghdad had not brought any "major results."
"The Iranians take a long-term attitude towards these talks," said the representative. "We are not interested in talks for the sake of talks, or for the sake of photo opportunities. We would like to push these discussions towards substantive issues that involve the behavior of the Iranian government in the region and we hope that the Iranians will be able to respond in kind to this effort. But as long as the Iranians continue to play games with these talks they are not going to go anywhere."
阿聯酋真的會放棄享有盛譽的 F-35 交易嗎？- 分析
阿聯酋想要 F-35，但其成本並不意味著它不能隨心所欲地使用它們。
作者：SETH J. FRANZMAN
發佈時間： 2021 年 12 月 15 日 10:45
更新時間： 2021 年 12 月 15 日 19:32
作為戰鬥力演習的一部分，美國空軍 F-35 閃電 II 戰鬥機編隊進行空中機動
（圖片來源：路透社）
廣告
據《華爾街日報》本週發表的報導，阿拉伯聯合酋長國準備停止採購先進的第五代F-35 飛機。
這項享有盛譽的重要交易於去年在亞伯拉罕協議期間宣布，引起中東和華盛頓的關注。
2020 年 9 月下旬，阿聯酋提交了購買 50 架飛機的正式請求。這筆交易還將包括 18 架死神無人機。
美國經常阻止其先進的武裝無人機在國外銷售，導致許多國家轉而購買中國和其他無人機。
隨著白宮在 2020 年 10 月的批准以及國務院在 11 月的其他批准，阿聯酋的收購似乎將迅速推進，從而加快了這一決定。然而，對這筆交易有不滿和批評。
以色列必須仔細研究美國想要向阿聯酋出售 F35 的程度。（來源：AMIR COHEN/REUTERS）
各種聲音聲稱這筆交易存在問題。一種論點是，像這樣的大規模軍售可能會助長該地區的某種軍備競賽，並加劇伊朗的緊張局勢。
這種說法毫無意義，因為伊朗和其他國家已經在推進武器開發，例如無人機和導彈。軍備競賽已經開始了。
另一個論點是，該協議將進一步使美國陷入美國試圖離開的地區。美國希望轉向與中國在亞洲進行近乎同行的競爭。許多評論員將中東視為沈沒成本。
美國在該地區發動了長達 20 年的全球反恐戰爭。爭論說，現在，美國在激起戰爭和衝突之後想要離開。這種不合邏輯的論點指出，美國應該走開，而不必費心確保朋友和盟友的安全。
另一種說法是，該交易可能會削弱以色列的質量軍事優勢，這一原則認為美國應該向以色列提供先進武器，以使其在質量上保持在其對手之上。阿聯酋不是對手，亞伯拉罕協議為這一新現實鋪平了道路。
畢竟，美國曾考慮向土耳其出售 F-35，當時沒有人認為這會削弱以色列的優勢。與阿聯酋相比，土耳其今天更嚴厲地反對以色列的政策。
所以發生了什麼事？據報導，阿聯酋告訴美國，它可以暫停對 230 億美元交易的討論。從《華爾街日報》到其他媒體，有關此事的報導表明，暫停和障礙有多種原因。
《南華早報》稱，一個問題是該交易因“阿布扎比與中國的關係，包括在該國使用華為 5G 技術”而放緩。
在以色列主辦的空中演習“藍旗”期間，一架以色列 F35 飛機出現在跑道上（圖片來源：REUTERS）
《華爾街日報》寫道，“技術要求、主權運營限制和成本/收益分析導致了重新評估，”阿聯酋官員在文章中引用了這一說法。
阿聯酋也在購買其他飛機。一個 $15b。與法國的交易將使其獲得 18 架陣風戰機。陣風不是 F-35 的替代品，所以這次購買並不是真正的替代品，但很重要。事實是，在AUKUS宣布向澳大利亞出售潛艇後，美國、英國和法國最近一直在爭奪一些軍售。
阿聯酋和美國相互承諾。阿聯酋想要 F-35，但其成本並不意味著它不能隨心所欲地使用它們，而且美國方面可能存在擔憂和障礙，使採購變得過於復雜。
這可能與中國問題有關，因為美國已向該地區的合作夥伴堅稱，他們與中國達成的其他交易需要在他們周圍設置一道警戒線，以確保在中國的作用和美國的重要技術之間有一堵牆在該地區，或港口和機場等重要戰略區域。
例如，中國在阿布扎比港的建設一直是美國關注的問題。美國有線電視新聞網 11 月 19 日報導稱，“阿聯酋中國港口的一個秘密項目”的建設被叫停。
美國五角大樓新聞秘書約翰·柯比於 12 月 14 日對記者發表講話。他被多次問到有關 F-35 的問題。
“我看過報導，”他說。“美國與阿聯酋的伙伴關係比任何一種武器銷售都更具戰略性和復雜性。我們致力於與阿聯酋合作，解決他們和我們關於此次銷售的問題。我們隨時準備與我們的阿聯酋合作夥伴討論此次銷售和任何潛在的銷售。
“作為法定要求和政策的問題，我們將始終堅持各種最終用戶的要求。那是典型的。這些最終用戶的要求和對美國國防設備的保護是普遍的、不可協商的，並且不是阿聯酋特有的。”
他強調說：“最終用途要求是每次對外軍售的典型要求，但它們並不完全相同，因為這取決於你銷售的是什麼以及該物品將如何使用。所以，我再次向你指出國務院，他們的政治軍事事務局。他們負責對外軍售計劃，在這方面，他們是比國防部更好的來源。
“但最終用戶的要求並非非典型；它們實際上是標準的，正如您所期望的那樣。當我們出售武器和系統時，我們對美國人民和我們自己的國家安全利益負有義務。”
這意味著獲得美國系統、平台或彈藥的國家在使用過程中可能會面臨一些障礙。
儘管如此，據說美國國務院仍致力於銷售。據《華爾街日報》報導，這位官員說：“我們希望能夠解決任何懸而未決的問題。”
接下來會發生什麼尚不清楚。據阿聯酋的 Al-Ain 媒體報導，阿聯酋關心這架飛機，但希望確保其技術要求得到滿足。艾因報告中提到了“行動限制”。這可能就是美國媒體和柯比討論中提到的“最終用戶”問題。許多軍隊會擔心他們必須徵得許可才能使用飛機進行重要操作。
美國國務卿安東尼·布林肯週三在馬來西亞，有報導稱國務院仍支持該交易。
“例如，我們想確保我們對以色列軍事質量優勢的承諾得到保證，因此我們想確保我們可以對出售或轉讓給該地區其他合作夥伴的任何技術進行徹底審查，包括阿聯酋，”布林肯說。
在這種情況下，以色列的軍事優勢問題似乎不如“出售或轉讓”的“技術”重要。這似乎是指對中國的擔憂。
F-35 的問題是多方面的。有報導稱，以色列將不得不等待數年才能獲得它也從華盛頓尋求的 KC-46A 加油機。那架飛機是遠程任務的關鍵。以色列拖延購買這架飛機。但總體而言，採購交易可能會很慢。
想想在土耳其獲得俄羅斯的 S-400 之後，美國決定將土耳其從 F-35 計劃中解散出來。安卡拉進行了大量遊說，試圖讓美國讓土耳其擁有來自俄羅斯的 S-400 和美國的 F-35。土耳其會不斷洩露有關美國改變其決定的細節。
另一個問題是無人機銷售。美國一直不願出售武裝無人機。幾十年來，各國一直在要求它們。美國甚至讓關鍵的伙伴和盟友等待。因此，該地區的許多國家轉向中國。土耳其製造了自己的武裝無人機。與此同時，印度也在從俄羅斯購買 S-400。
應該記住，該地區有反對阿聯酋的聲音——在意識形態上更接近土耳其或卡塔爾的批評者。將扳手投入任何武裝銷售也會使他們受益。然而，最近幾個月阿聯酋與土耳其的關係有所改善，海灣國家再次與卡塔爾合作。
美國在這​​些交易上有一種雙面人的面孔。一方面，看到作為美國夥伴的國家向中國和俄羅斯購買武器是令人困惑的。另一方面，美國在提供出售選擇權方面進展緩慢。根本就沒有準備好出售給土耳其或印度的愛國者係統。
根據最近的報導，美國還撤出了沙特阿拉伯的防空系統，沙特阿拉伯在也門遭到伊朗支持的胡塞武裝襲擊時“懇求”美國提供導彈防禦補給。這不僅僅是一個“最終用戶”問題；這是防空系統，利雅得等主要美國合作夥伴對此表示擔憂。
然而，在 1990 年代曾經支持沙特阿拉伯的美國評論員在過去幾年中轉向利雅得。雖然今天華盛頓的反沙特聲音聲稱關心人權，但他們往往喜歡十年前這個王國，當時它被指控犯有與今天一樣的侵犯人權行為。
他們的擔憂涉及美國全球政策的轉變，厭倦了處理中東及其“無休止的戰爭”或“可追溯到數千年前”的衝突，如一位總統所說，或者將美軍浪費在“遙遠土地上的古老衝突上，許多人們從未聽說過，”正如另一位最近的美國總統所說。
希望成為美國盟友和夥伴的國家聽到華盛頓著名智庫的評論員說他們“不是盟友”，而同樣的智囊團則抨擊他們與中國進行貿易。
一方面，他們被告知他們不會獲得防空能力，並且將等待數十年才能獲得武器、無人機或其他系統，而他們的對手則在建立力量。另一方面，他們被告知不要從其他人那裡購買或冒險他們想要的長期交易。
這個第 22 條規定讓各國懷疑美國是否會繼續致力於中東，以及美國是否會在撤軍後繼續致力於出售其防御所需的硬件。
然後，他們將目光投向法國、俄羅斯、中國或其他任何可能願意滿足他們需求的人。這些都是整個中東地區以及延伸到鄰近地區的採購計劃所面臨的複雜問題。
雖然阿聯酋可能會通過與華盛頓的討論來開展工作，但更大的故事與從印度延伸到土耳其的構造轉變有關。
F-35 是一種享有盛譽的獨特飛機。它的能力不能簡單地換成法國飛機。它也是一種昂貴的飛機，它的發展在美國受到了批評。然而，以色列已經成為 F-35 的忠實用戶，似乎想要更多的飛機。
還有其他先進的美國飛機，如 F-15 和 F-16，但它們也不是阿聯酋等國家的 F-35 的替代選擇。根據最近的數據，當今世界上有超過 705 架 F-35，由 9 個國家在全球 21 個基地運營。
用戶包括美國、英國、以色列、意大利、澳大利亞、挪威、日本、韓國和荷蘭。新加坡、比利時和波蘭也採購了這架飛機。新加坡只購買了四架飛機。
阿聯酋可能會考慮縮小規模的交易，以便將其納入美國的戰略計劃，但不會過分依賴於為其帶來技術和最終用戶問題的飛機。到目前為止，這似乎並不在意料之中。
Would the UAE really walk away from prestigious F-35 deal? – analysis
The UAE wants the F-35s but not at a cost that would mean it can’t use them as it wants.
By SETH J. FRANTZMAN
Published: DECEMBER 15, 2021 10:45
Updated: DECEMBER 15, 2021 19:32
A formation of U.S. Air Force F-35 Lightning II fighter jets perform aerial maneuvers during as part of a combat power exercise
(photo credit: REUTERS)
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The United Arab Emirates is prepared to halt acquisition of advanced fifth-generation F-35 aircraft, according to reports published this week in The Wall Street Journal.
The prestigious and important deal was announced last year around the time of the Abraham Accords, raising eyebrows in the Middle East and Washington.
In late September 2020, the UAE submitted a formal request to purchase 50 of the aircraft. The deal would include 18 Reaper drones as well.
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The US has often prevented sales of its advanced armed drones abroad, leading many countries to acquire Chinese and other drones instead.
It appeared the UAE acquisition would move forward quickly with White House approvals in October 2020, and other approvals from the State Department in November, fast-tracking the decision. However, there was grumbling and criticism of the deal.
ISRAEL HAS to examine carefully how much the US wants to sell the F35 to the UAE. (credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)
A variety of voices claimed the deal was problematic. One argument was that large arms sales like this might fuel some kind of arms race in the region and stoke more Iran tensions.
This argument makes no sense because Iran and other countries are already racing forward with arms development, such as drones and missiles. There is already an arms race.
Another argument was that the deal would further entangle the US in a region that the US was trying to leave. The US wants to pivot to near-peer rivalry with China in Asia. Many commentators see the Middle East as a sunk cost.
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The US waged 20 years of Global War on Terror in the region. Now, having fueled war and conflict, the US wants to leave, the argument says. And the US should walk away without bothering to secure friends and allies, this illogical argument states.
A further assertion was that the deal might erode Israel’s Qualitative Military Edge, a doctrine that says the US should supply Israel with advanced weaponry to keep it qualitatively above its adversaries. The UAE is not an adversary, and the Abraham Accords helped pave the way for this new reality.
After all, the US had considered selling F-35s to Turkey, and no one suggested at the time this would erode Israel’s edge. Turkey is more harshly opposed to Israel’s policies today than the UAE.
So what happened? The UAE reportedly told the US it could suspend discussions on the $23 billion deal. Reports on this, from the WSJ to other outlets, indicate there are a variety of reasons for the suspension and hurdles.
One issue, The South China Morning Post said, is that the deal had slowed over “Abu Dhabi’s relationship with China, including use of Huawei 5G technology in the country.”
An Israeli F35 aircraft is seen on the runway during ''Blue Flag'', an aerial exercise hosted by Israel (credit: REUTERS)
The WSJ wrote that “technical requirements, sovereign operational restrictions, and cost/benefit analysis led to the reassessment,” according to a UAE official quoted in the piece.
The UAE is also buying other aircraft. A $15b. deal with France will see it acquire 18 Rafale warplanes. The Rafale is not a replacement for F-35s, so this purchase is not really an alternative, but it is important. The fact is that the US, UK, and France have been jockeying for some arms sales recently after the AUKUS announcement related to submarine sales to Australia.
The UAE and US are committed to each other. The UAE wants the F-35s but not at a cost that would mean it can’t use them as it wants, and there may be concerns and hurdles from the US side that makes the purchase too complex.
This may relate to the China issue, as the US has insisted to its partners in the region that other deals they make with China needed to have a kind of cordon sanitaire around them, making sure there is a wall between China’s role and important US technology in the region, or important strategic areas like ports and airports.
Chinese construction at Abu Dhabi port, for instance, has been one US concern. CNN reported on November 19 that construction was halted on a “secret project at Chinese port in UAE.”
US Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby spoke to reporters on December 14. He was asked a number of times about the F-35s.
“I’ve seen the reporting,” he said. “The US partnership with the UAE is more strategic and more complex than any one weapons sale. We are committed to working with the UAE to address their and our questions with respect to this sale. We are always ready to discuss this sale and any potential sale with our Emirati partners.
“We will always insist, as a matter of statutory requirements and policy, on a variety of end-user requirements. That’s typical. And these end-user requirements and protection of US defense equipment are universal, nonnegotiable and not specific to the UAE.”
He emphasized that “end-use requirements are typical for every foreign military sale, but they’re not all the same, because it depends on what you’re selling and how that item is going to be used. So again, I’d point you to the State Department, their Bureau of Political-Military Affairs. They run the foreign military sales program, and they are a much better source for you than the Department of Defense on this.
“But end-user requirements are not atypical; they are in fact standard, as you would expect them to be. We have obligations to the American people and to our own national security interests when we engage in the sale of weapons and systems.”
What this means is that a country acquiring US systems, platforms or munitions may face some hurdles in their use.
Nevertheless, the US State Department was said to be committed to the sales. “We are hopeful that we can work through any outstanding issues,” the official said, according to the WSJ report.
WHAT HAPPENS next is unclear. The UAE cares about the aircraft but wants to make sure its technical requirements are met, according to Al-Ain media in the UAE. There is a reference to “restrictions on operations,” in the Al-Ain report. This may be the “end-user” issue referred to in US media and the Kirby discussion. Many militaries would be concerned over requests that they have to ask permission for important operations using an aircraft.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken was in Malaysia on Wednesday, and reports indicated that the State Department still backs the deal.
“We’ve wanted to make sure, for example, that our commitment to Israel’s qualitative military edge is assured, so we wanted to make sure that we could do a thorough review of any technologies that are sold or transferred to other partners in the region, including the UAE,” Blinken said.
The issue of Israel’s military edge appears to be less important than the “technologies” that are “sold or transferred” in this case. This appears to be a reference to concerns about China.
The issue here with the F-35s is multilayered. It comes as reports indicate Israel will have to wait years for the KC-46A tanker aircraft it has also sought from Washington. That aircraft is key to long-range missions. Israel procrastinated in its purchase of the aircraft. But the overall story is how slow procurement deals can be.
Consider the US decision to unravel Turkey from the F-35 program, after Turkey acquired Russia’s S-400s. A lot of lobbying by Ankara went into trying to get the US to let Turkey have S-400s from Russia and US F-35s. Turkey would constantly leak details about the US going back on its decision.
Another issue is drone sales. The US has often been reluctant to sell armed drones. Countries have been asking for them for decades. The US kept even key partners and allies waiting. So, many countries in the region turned to China. Turkey built its own armed drones. Meanwhile, India is also buying S-400s from Russia.
It should be remembered that there are voices from the region that oppose the UAE – critics who are ideologically closer to Turkey or Qatar. Throwing wrenches into any armed sales benefits them as well. However, in recent months UAE-Turkey ties have improved, and the Gulf countries are working with Qatar once again.
The US has a kind of Janus face on these deals. On the one hand, it is nonplussed to see countries that are US partners going to China and Russia for arms. On the other hand, the US is slow to provide options to sell. There simply are no Patriot systems that were ready to be sold going to Turkey or India.
According to recent reports, the US has also pulled air defense from Saudi Arabia, which is “pleading” for missile defense resupply from the US in the face of attacks from Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen. This isn’t just an “end-user” issue; this is air defense, and key US partners like Riyadh are concerned.
However, US commentators who were once supportive of Saudi Arabia in the 1990s have turned on Riyadh in the last few years. While the anti-Saudi voices in DC today claim to care about human rights, they tended to like the kingdom a decade ago when it was accused of the same rights violations as it is today.
Their concerns relate to shifts in US global policy, fatigue with dealing with the Middle East and its “endless wars” or conflicts that “date back millennia,” as one president said, or wasting US forces on “ancient conflicts in faraway lands that many people have never heard of,” as another recent US president said.
Countries that wanted to be US allies and partners are left hearing that they are “not allies” from commentators at prestigious think tanks in Washington, while the same think tanks slam them for trading with China.
On the one hand, they are told they won’t get air defense and will be kept waiting for decades to get arms, drones or other systems, while their adversaries build up forces. On the other hand, they are told not to buy from others or risk the long-term deals they wanted.
This catch-22 leaves countries wondering whether the US will remain committed to the Middle East, and whether the US, having drawn down forces, will even remain committed to selling the hardware necessary for their defense.
They then look to France, Russia, China or anyone else that might be willing to meet their needs. These are the complex problems facing procurement plans throughout the Middle East and extending to neighboring regions.
While the UAE may work through its discussions with Washington, the larger story relates to tectonic shifts that stretch from India to Turkey.
The F-35 is a prestigious and unique aircraft. Its abilities cannot be simply swapped for French aircraft. It’s also an expensive aircraft, and its development has been critiqued in the US. Israel, however, has become a devoted user of the F-35 and appears to want more planes.
There are other advanced US aircraft, like F-15s and F-16s, but they, too, are not replacement options for the F-35 for countries like the UAE. According to recent data, there are more than 705 F-35s around the world today, flown by nine countries operating from 21 bases worldwide.
Users include the US, UK, Israel, Italy, Australia, Norway, Japan, South Korea, and the Netherlands. Singapore, Belgium and Poland have also procured the aircraft. Singapore has only purchased four of the planes.
The UAE might consider a scaled-down deal so as to be knitted into the strategic US program, but not lean so heavily on an aircraft that presents it with technical and end-user concerns. So far that doesn’t seem to be in the cards.
布林肯說美國準備好向阿聯酋出售 F-35 和無人機
布林肯在吉隆坡的新聞發布會上說，華盛頓必須進行一些審查。
通過路透
發佈時間： 2021 年 12 月 15 日 06:23
更新時間： 2021 年 12 月 15 日 07:18
2021 年 7 月 28 日，美國國務卿安東尼·布林肯和印度外交部長蘇布拉馬尼亞姆·賈尚卡爾在印度新德里的賈瓦哈拉爾·尼赫魯·巴萬 (JNB) 舉行聯合新聞發布會
（圖片來源：路透社）
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美國國務卿安東尼·布林肯週三表示，美國準備推進向阿拉伯聯合酋長國 (UAE)出售F-35 戰鬥機和無人機，此前有報導稱阿聯酋打算暫停對該交易的討論。
阿聯酋一名官員周二告訴路透社，它已通知美國，將暫停購買 F-35 戰鬥機的討論，這是一項 230 億美元的交易的一部分，其中包括無人機和其他先進彈藥。
該官員引用“技術要求、主權運營限制和成本/收益分析”作為促使阿聯酋政府重新評估交易的原因。
知情人士在 1 月份告訴路透社，阿聯酋已簽署協議，購買 50 架 F-35 噴氣式飛機和最多 18 架武裝無人機。
布林肯在吉隆坡的新聞發布會上說，華盛頓必須進行一些審查。
以色列必須仔細研究美國想要向阿聯酋出售 F35 的程度。（來源：AMIR COHEN/REUTERS）
“例如，我們想確保我們對以色列軍事優勢的承諾得到保證，因此我們想確保我們可以對出售或轉讓給該地區其他合作夥伴的任何技術進行徹底審查，包括阿聯酋，”布林肯說。
“但我認為，如果阿聯酋繼續追求這兩個目標，我們將繼續做好前進的準備，”他說。
Blinken says US ready to move forward with sale of F-35s, drones to UAE
Speaking at a news conference in Kuala Lumpur, Blinken said Washington had to conduct some reviews.
By REUTERS
Published: DECEMBER 15, 2021 06:23
Updated: DECEMBER 15, 2021 07:18
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and India's Minister of External Affairs Subrahmanyam Jaishankar hold a joint news conference at Jawaharlal Nehru Bhawan (JNB) in New Delhi, India July 28, 2021
(photo credit: REUTERS)
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The United States is prepared to move forward with the sale of F-35 fighter jets and drones to the United Arab Emirates (UAE), U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken said on Wednesday, after reports the UAE intended to suspend discussion of the deal.
A UAE official on Tuesday told Reuters that it had informed the United States that it would suspend discussions to acquire F-35 fighter jets, part of a $23 billion deal that includes drones and other advanced munitions.
The official cited "technical requirements, sovereign operational restrictions, and cost/benefit analysis" as reasons that have prompted a re-assessment of the deal by the UAE government.
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The UAE had signed an agreement to purchase 50 F-35 jets and up to 18 armed drones, people familiar with the situation told Reuters in January.
Speaking at a news conference in Kuala Lumpur, Blinken said Washington had to conduct some reviews.
民意調查發現，大多數巴勒斯坦人認為腐敗加劇
結果表明，普遍的腐敗對巴勒斯坦人構成了最重要的挑戰，其次是“佔領”、經濟問題以及巴勒斯坦權力機構與哈馬斯之間的爭端。
由哈利·阿布·托梅
發佈時間： 2021 年 12 月 15 日 01:16
更新時間： 2021 年 12 月 15 日 17:37
巴勒斯坦示威者參加 2021 年 8 月 2 日在拉馬拉舉行的反巴勒斯坦權力機構抗議活動
（圖片來源：路透社/穆罕默德·托羅克曼）
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根據周二公佈的一項民意調查，大多數巴勒斯坦人認為，2021 年巴勒斯坦權力機構機構的腐敗現像有所增加。
廉正與問責聯盟 (AMAN) 於 10 月初進行的這項民意調查還發現，許多巴勒斯坦人對負責打擊腐敗的各個機構沒有信心。
AMAN 成立於 2000 年，自稱是“一個旨在打擊腐敗並促進巴勒斯坦社會廉潔、透明和問責的民間社會組織”。
該民意調查涵蓋了約旦河西岸、加沙地帶和東耶路撒冷的 1,320 名巴勒斯坦人，誤差率為 3%。
結果表明，普遍的腐敗對巴勒斯坦人構成了最重要的挑戰，其次是“佔領”、經濟問題以及巴勒斯坦權力機構與哈馬斯之間的爭端。
2021 年 4 月 30 日，在加沙地帶北部，用無人機拍攝的一張照片顯示，哈馬斯的支持者參加抗議巴勒斯坦總統馬哈茂德·阿巴斯推遲計劃舉行的議會選舉的決定。REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM
調查結果顯示，63%的受訪者認為今年年初以來腐敗現像有所增加。
根據調查結果，另有 59% 的受訪者認為腐敗會增加。
去年，55% 的受訪者預測各種形式的腐敗會增加。
民意調查發現，84% 的受訪者認為反腐力度不夠，而去年持相同觀點的比例為 80%。
“西岸[巴勒斯坦權力機構控制地區]的大多數受訪者認為，腐敗集中在公共部門僱員的最高層，”AMAN 說。“在加沙地帶，大多數受訪者認為腐敗的機會主要集中在非政府組織和私營部門。”
它指出，反腐敗機構“受到各種有影響力的政黨的干涉和乾預，例如[PA]總統辦公室、安全機構和政黨領導人。”
AMAN 透露，最普遍的腐敗形式被確定為裙帶關係、挪用公共資金、濫用權力、賄賂和洗錢。
結果顯示，87% 的受訪者認為，巴勒斯坦媒體在 2021 年揭露或偵破腐敗案件方面的作用較弱。
同時，69% 的受訪者表示，社交媒體是突出和揭露 2021 年發生的腐敗案件的最有效手段。
Majority of Palestinians believe corruption increased, poll finds
The results showed that widespread corruption poses the most important challenge to the Palestinians, followed by the “occupation,” economic issues, and the dispute between the PA and Hamas.
By KHALED ABU TOAMEH
Published: DECEMBER 15, 2021 01:16
Updated: DECEMBER 15, 2021 17:37
Palestinian demonstrators attend an anti-Palestinian Authority protest in Ramallah, August 2, 2021
(photo credit: REUTERS/MOHAMAD TOROKMAN)
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Most Palestinians believe that corruption in Palestinian Authority institutions has increased in 2021, according to a public opinion poll published on Tuesday.
The poll, conducted by The Coalition for Integrity and Accountability (AMAN) at the beginning of October, also found that many Palestinians do not have confidence in various bodies entrusted with combating corruption.
Established in 2000, AMAN describes itself as a “civil society organization that seeks to combat corruption and promote integrity, transparency and accountability in Palestinian society.”
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The poll covered 1,320 Palestinians in the West Bank, Gaza Strip and east Jerusalem and has a 3% margin of error.
The results showed that widespread corruption poses the most important challenge to the Palestinians, followed by the “occupation,” economic issues, and the dispute between the PA and Hamas.
A picture taken with a drone shows Hamas supporters taking part in a protest against Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas' decision to postpone planned parliamentary elections, in the northern Gaza Strip April 30, 2021.REUTERS/MOHAMMED SALEM
According to the results, 63% of respondents believe that corruption has increased since the beginning of this year.
Another 59% of respondents believe that corruption will increase, according to the results.
Last year, 55% of respondents predicted that various forms of corruption would increase.
The poll found that 84% of those surveyed believe that anti-corruption efforts are insufficient, as opposed to 80% who held the same view last year.
“The majority of respondents in the [PA-controlled areas of the] West Bank believe that corruption is concentrated within the highest level of public sector employees,” AMAN said. “In the Gaza Strip, a majority of respondents see that opportunities for corruption are mostly concentrated in NGOs and the private sector.”
It pointed out that anti-corruption bodies are “subject to interference and meddling in their work by various influential parties, such as the Office of the [PA] President, the security institutions and political parties’ leaders.”
The most prevalent forms of corruption were identified as nepotism, misappropriation of public funds, abuse of power, bribery, and money laundering, AMAN disclosed.
The results showed that 87% of respondents believe that the Palestinian media’s role in exposing or detecting corruption cases in 2021 was weak.
Meanwhile, 69% of respondents said that social media was the most effective means of highlighting and uncovering corruption cases that occurred during 2021.
ISRAEL HAS to examine carefully how much the US wants to sell the F35 to the UAE. (credit: AMIR COHEN/REUTERS)
"We've wanted to make sure, for example, that our commitment to Israel's qualitative military edge is assured, so we wanted to make sure that we could do a thorough review of any technologies that are sold or transferred to other partners in the region, including the UAE," Blinken said.
"But I think we continue to be prepared to move forward if the UAE continues to want to pursue both of these," he said.
海法到特拉維夫 30 分鐘：規劃委員會批准高鐵
耗資 120 億新謝克爾的項目將使海法的 2 條線路潛入地下，隨著快速服務在城市之間運送乘客，方便前往海岸並為房地產騰出空間
通過TOI人員2021 年 12 月 14 日，下午 2:23
海法計劃中的火車項目的藝術印象。(Amir Mann/Ami Shinar Architects & Planners Ltd.)
國家基礎設施規劃委員會周一宣布，它已經批准了一項連接海法和特拉維夫的鐵路項目，預計將把這兩個城市之間的旅行時間縮短至僅 30 分鐘。
作為該項目的一部分，將在海法現有的地麵線路上增加兩條地下線路，並將停靠四個郊區車站，Lev Hamifrats、Kiryat Hamemshala、Bat Galit 和 Hof Carmel。目前停在這些車站的線路將改為專用於從北部的納哈里亞到特拉維夫的快速列車服務，途經海法。
該項目預計耗資 120 億新謝克爾（39 億美元）
從 Nahariya 到特拉維夫的旅行時間估計為 54 分鐘，而不是今天的 1 小時 40 分鐘。海法到特拉維夫，在哈德拉停留一站，只需半小時。
規劃委員會主席施洛米·海斯勒表示，該項目“將推動整個海法大都市區向前發展，實現從大都市中心到高速列車網絡的快速高效的電動火車連接。”
“今天，鐵路軌道是海法和大海之間的緩衝區，該計劃將使海法市與其主要資產——大海相連，”他說。
海法市市長 Einat Kalisch-Rotem 表示，新線路將“對一個渴望與海灘相連的城市來說是一場真正的革命”。
這些線路將使用為國家規劃的下一代電動列車，該列車尚未投入使用。列車將能夠達到每小時 250 公里的速度。
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目前的火車路線將在現有車站停靠，繼續為郊區服務。
規劃委員會表示，它更喜歡地下路線而不是地面路線，部分原因是為了防止破壞海法的開放空間和影響通往海岸的通道，並為住宅建築項目騰出土地。
據瓦拉新聞網站報導，海法市政府打算通過出售住宅房地產為鐵路線籌集部分資金。
該項目符合以色列鐵路公司的戰略計劃，即在該國的大都市之間提供高效的鐵路網絡。該鐵路公司預測，到 2040 年，該國每年將有 3.5 億人次乘坐火車。
Haifa to Tel Aviv in 30 minutes: Planning committee okays high-speed rail
NIS 12 billion project will see 2 lines in Haifa dive belowground, easing access to coast and freeing up space for real estate as fast service whisks passengers between cities
By TOI STAFF14 December 2021, 2:23 pm
Artist impression of the planned train project for Haifa. (Amir Mann/Ami Shinar Architects & Planners Ltd.)
The National Infrastructure Planning Council announced Monday it had approved a project for a rail connection between Haifa and Tel Aviv that is expected to cut travel time between the two cities to just 30 minutes.
As part of the project, two underground lines will be added to the existing surface level routes in Haifa and will stop at four suburban stations, Lev Hamifrats, Kiryat Hamemshala, Bat Galit, and Hof Carmel. The current lines that stop at those stations will instead be dedicated to a fast train service running from Nahariya in the north to Tel Aviv, passing through Haifa.
The project is expected to cost NIS 12 billion ($3.9 billion)
Travel times are estimated to be 54 minutes from Nahariya to Tel Aviv instead of the hour and 40 minutes of today’s journey. Haifa to Tel Aviv, with one stop in Hadera, will be just half an hour.
Shlomi Heisler, chair of the planning council, said the project “will propel the entire Haifa metropolitan area forward, a fast and efficient electric train connection from the heart of the metropolis to the high-speed train
“Today, the railway tracks are a buffer between Haifa and the sea, and the plan will allow the city of Haifa to be connected to its main asset — the sea,” he said.
Haifa Mayor Einat Kalisch-Rotem said the new lines will be “a real revolution for a city that is desperate to connect with its beach.”
The lines will use the next generation of electric trains planned for the country, which have not yet been put into use. The trains will be able to reach speeds of 250 kilometers per hour.
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The current train route will continue to serve suburbs by stopping at existing stations.
The planning council said it preferred the underground routes rather than surface alternatives in part to prevent damaging open spaces in Haifa and impacting access to the seacoast and in order to free up land for residential building projects.
The Haifa municipality intends to raise some of the funding for the train line from the sale of residential real estate, the Walla news site reported.
The project aligns with the Israel Railways’ strategic plan to provide efficient rail networks between the country’s metropolises. The rail company predicts that by 2040 there will be 350 million travelers a year on the country’s trains.
33 家獨角獸和 25b 美元的資金：以色列科技行業在 2021 年創下新紀錄
在網絡安全、金融科技和企業 IT 方面的大規模投資推動了本地初創公司和公司的巨額融資年
由瑞奇·本-戴維 2021 年 12 月 13 日，下午 2:44
以色列公司 Innovid 是智能電視廣告投放和測量平台的開發商，於 2021 年 12 月 1 日在紐約證券交易所上市。（Innovid）
根據 Start 週一發布的一份報告，以色列的科技行業將在 2021 年迎來創紀錄的一年，從 1 月到 11 月，初創公司籌集了驚人的 250 億美元資金，33 家公司進入私營公司獨角獸俱樂部，估值超過 10 億美元。 -Up 國家中心 (SNC)。
與 2020 年相比，資本投資的價值增加了 136% 的股權融資，這本身就是創紀錄的一年，籌集的資金超過 100 億美元。根據研究公司 Pitchbook 編制的比較數據的報告，以色列初創公司和公司的資金比全球平均水平高 71%，比美國公司高 78%。
這些創紀錄的數字“反映了不一定是以色列特有的全球趨勢，例如技術投資的增加，部分原因是 COVID-19 以及有多少數字創新和技術是以色列的關鍵組成部分的教訓。一個強大而強勁的行業……但以色列的數字高於平均水平，”Start-Up Nation Central 首席執行官 Avi Hasson 週一在接受以色列時報採訪時表示。
事實上，全球風險投資在 2021 年創下歷史新高，今年迄今已向全球公司投資了約 5000 億美元，而 2020 年全年投資額超過 3300 億美元。 1 億美元或更多的大型融資輪次主導了全球科技行業根據 Crunchbase 的數據，所有融資階段都出現了顯著增長。
根據 SNC 的報告，以色列也是如此，那裡的大型回合數達到 74，是去年的兩倍多。到 2021 年為止，這些較大的輪次融資總額為 147.7 億美元，是當年總額的一半以上，比去年累計的 36 億美元增長了 310%。此外，輪次中位數從 2020 年的 600 萬美元增加到 2021 年的 1400 萬美元。
與 2020 年一樣，2021 年吸引資金最多的行業是企業 IT 和數據基礎設施、網絡安全和金融科技。大約 65% 的總資金流向這些行業的公司，而 2020 年全年相同行業籌集的資金佔總資金的 52%
SNC 報告將這些部門稱為以色列生態系統的“三大”，“因為它們主要由能夠提供快速解決方案的純軟件公司組成，並且通常不受市場距離的影響。”
“我們所看到的並非巧合，”哈森說。“我們仍然是一個初創國家，因為我們擁有新想法和新公司的引擎，但你看到的大部分資金反映了市場的成熟度——我們從新獨角獸的數量和 IPO 的數量中看到它，以及在以色列公司 [正在收購以色列公司] 的數十次收購中，這是一個相對較新的現象。”
2021 年新增 33 家以色列獨角獸
獨角獸一直是 2021 年全球科技行業的熱門話題，大規模融資推高了全球估值。根據追踪該行業的紐約數據公司 CB Insights 的數據，截至 12 月初，全球共有936 家獨角獸公司，總估值接近 3.049 萬億美元。僅在 2021 年期間，其中就有近 500 家公司成為獨角獸，這是一個驚人的數字。
根據 SNC 的數據，今年迄今為止，以色列有 33 家公司成為獨角獸。
計算機生成的獨角獸的說明性圖像。（圖片由 Pete Linforth 在Pixabay上提供）
但數字因方法和組織而異。獨角獸名單的一些編制者包括有未決 IPO 或 SPAC（特殊目的收購公司）合併的以色列公司，而其他公司將包括擁有以色列創始人（如總部位於加利福尼亞的薪酬公司 Deel）但不一定在以色列存在的公司。
據追踪以色列行業的 Tech Aviv 稱，截至 12 月 13 日，目前有79 家以色列獨角獸公司，總價值為 2280 億美元。其中，32 家總部位於以色列，20 家位於紐約，15 家位於矽谷，其他位於波士頓、倫敦、新加坡、芝加哥和洛杉磯。TechAviv 的匯總包括 11 家有待進行 SPAC 合併的公司（如酒店公司 Selina），之後它們將上市，不再被視為私營公司。
Deloitte Catalyst 10 月份的一份報告發現，2021 年前三個季度有 35 家以色列公司加入了獨角獸俱樂部，與 2019 年和 2020 年估值 10 億美元或以上的公司數量相同。
以色列在整個 2020 年創建了大約 16 家新技術獨角獸，2019 年有 9 家，2015 年有 4 家。
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今年加入獨角獸俱樂部的公司包括總部位於波士頓的生物技術公司Immunai；Fabric，一家機器人創業公司；估值 60 億美元的網絡安全初創公司 Wiz ；Melio，一家估值 40 億美元的金融科技公司；全球薪資公司 Papaya Global；轉錄公司 Verbit和音樂應用程序製造商 JoyTunes。
投資者湧向以色列
新獨角獸的這種增加與參與輪次比往年更多的外國投資者的活動增加直接相關。
根據 SNC 的報告，2021 年以色列公司最活躍的外國投資者（也是最活躍的投資者）是總部位於紐約的公司 Insight Partners，該公司在 2021 年投資了 49 輪，高於 2020 年的 17 輪。投資組合包括以色列的成功案例，如 Wix 和 Monday.com，以及 Shopify 和 Twitter。美國投資公司 Tiger Global Management 在 2021 年參與了對以色列初創公司的 16 輪融資，而 2020 年僅為 3 輪。
monday.com 團隊在納斯達克開市交易；2021 年 6 月 10 日（納斯達克）
報告稱，外國風險投資基金佔以色列前 10 名最活躍的基金中的 4 家。最活躍的以色列風險投資公司是 OurCrowd，2021 年有 29 輪。
“我們看到一大批投資者……強勢湧入。這些是一些最大和最強大的投資者，”哈森說。
“雖然以色列曾經是投資者的一個小眾市場，但過去兩年的趨勢——在 2021 年變得更加明顯——表明它現在是該行業知名人士的首選解決方案來源，”報告指出。“這說明了以色列公司對外國投資者的吸引力及其對市場日益增長的影響。”
儘管一些觀察家警告市場存在泡沫，但鑑於投資狂潮和估值過高，哈森表示，資本流動是合乎邏輯的，“無論是從宏觀經濟、另類投資方面還是在利息市場方面，以及就技術可以提供的長期增長而言。
“當我們查看估值時，它們處於歷史高位，因此可以說我們可能會看到回調，但這更多的是金融投機。我沒有看到資本停止向這個方向流動的泡沫。即使估值有某種修正，也將更多是技術上的修正。就資本供求而言，推動這一趨勢的力量非常強大。”
廣告
他說，可能威脅以色列科技行業未來增長的一個挑戰是人力資本短缺。
觀察家警告說，以色列科技行業嚴重缺乏工程師和程序員，這可能會阻礙該行業的發展，並影響整個經濟。
“我們需要增加候選人的數量，並為來自代表性不足的社區的人，如阿拉伯以色列人、極端正統派和女性，創造更多的切入點”。
“沒有包容性，我們就無法實現可持續增長，”哈森說。
首次公開募股和收購的又一個創紀錄的一年
根據 SNC 的報告，今年迄今為止是“IPO 和收購的非凡一年”，有 57 家以色列公司上市並籌集了 40 億美元。2021 年的 IPO 數量幾乎是 2020 年的三倍，22 家公司上市並籌集了 17 億美元的資金。
2021 年著名的 IPO 包括欺詐預防公司 Riskified、網絡安全公司 SentinelOne、網絡分析公司 SimilarWeb 和項目管理公司 Monday.com。
今年在以色列和世界範圍內也掀起了SPAC 熱潮。但 SNC 的報告稱，只有 10 次這樣的合併（包括廣告技術公司 Innovid 和自動駕駛系統公司 Innoviz Technologies）最終完成，總共籌集了 49 億美元。
廣告
與 SPAC 合併完成後，Innoviz 股票於 2021 年 4 月 6 日在納斯達克開始交易。（禮貌）
該研究顯示，收購交易的數量也有所增加——從 2020 年的 91 筆增加到 119 筆——但累計價值幾乎翻了一番，從大約 40 億美元增至 2021 年的 76 億美元。
一個特別顯著的趨勢是以色列公司收購的以色列初創公司數量增加，2021 年進行了 39 筆此類交易，創下有記錄以來的最高數字，高於 2020 年的 21 筆。
哈森說：“這些公司正在收購其他公司，這些公司是他們成長過程的一部分，並成為他們經營的幾乎每個行業的類別領導者。” “我們看到了新一代企業家，他們希望建立大型、可持續的公司，這非常有前途。”
33 unicorns and $25b in funding: Israeli tech sector sets new records in 2021
Blockbuster funding year for local startups and companies is driven by massive investments in cybersecurity, fintech, and enterprise IT
By RICKY BEN-DAVID 13 December 2021, 2:44 pm
Israeli company Innovid, the developer of a smart TV advertising delivery and measurement platform, debuts on New York Stock Exchange, December 1, 2021. (Innovid)
Israel’s tech sector is wrapping up a record year in 2021, with startups raising an astonishing $25 billion in funding from January through November, and 33 companies entering the unicorn club of private firms valued at over $1 billion, according to a report published Monday by Start-Up Nation Central (SNC).
The value of capital investments represented a 136% increase in equity funding over 2020, itself a record year with over $10 billion capital raised. Funding in Israeli startups and companies was 71% more than the global average, and 78% more than in US companies, according to the report, which examined comparative data compiled by research firm Pitchbook.
These record-setting numbers are a “reflection of global trends that are not necessarily Israel-specific, like the rise in investments in technologies, partially as a result of COVID-19 and the lessons of how much digital innovation and tech are key components of a strong and robust industry… but the numbers in Israel are stronger than the average,” Start-Up Nation Central CEO Avi Hasson told The Times of Israel in an interview Monday.
Indeed, global venture funding has reached all-time highs in 2021, with roughly $500 billion invested in companies worldwide so far this year, compared to over $330 billion in all of 2020. Larger funding rounds of $100 million or more dominated the global tech industry, with all funding stages seeing significant growth, according to Crunchbase data.
This was true in Israel as well, where the number of mega-rounds reached 74, more than double last year’s number, according to the SNC report. These larger rounds amounted to $14.77 billion in funding so far in 2021, more than half the total amount for the year and up 310% from an accumulated $3.6 billion last year. In addition, the median round size rose from $6 million in 2020 to $14 million in 2021.
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The sectors that drew the most capital in 2021, like in 2020, were enterprise IT and data infrastructure, cybersecurity, and fintech. About 65% of the total funding went to companies in these sectors, compared to 52% of the total raised by the same sectors throughout all of 2020
The SNC report referred to these sectors as the “Big 3” of the Israeli ecosystem “due to the fact that they are comprised primarily of pure software companies capable of delivering rapid solutions and are generally unaffected by distance from market.”
“What we are seeing is no coincidence,” said Hasson. “We are still a startup nation in that we have that engine of new ideas and new companies but most of the funding that you see reflects the maturity of the market — we see it in the number of new unicorns and the number of IPOs, and in the dozens of acquisitions where Israeli companies [are buying Israeli companies] and that’s a relatively new phenomenon.”
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33 new Israeli unicorns in 2021
Unicorns have been the talk of the global tech industry in 2021, with massive funding rounds driving up valuations worldwide. As of early December, there were 936 unicorn companies worldwide at a total cumulative valuation of almost $3.049 trillion, according to CB Insights, a New York-based data firm that tracks the industry. Close to 500 of these companies became unicorns over the course of 2021 alone, a staggering number.
In Israel, 33 companies became unicorns so far this year, according to SNC.
Illustrative image of a computer-generated unicorn. (Image by Pete Linforth from Pixabay)
But the numbers differ depending on methodology and organization. Some compilers of unicorn lists include Israeli companies that have pending IPOs or SPAC (special purpose acquisition company) mergers, while others will include companies that have an Israeli founder (like California-based payroll company Deel) but not necessarily a presence in Israel.
According to Tech Aviv, which tracks the industry in Israel, as of December 13, there were currently 79 Israeli-founded unicorns with a combined value of $228 billion. Of these, 32 have their headquarters in Israel, 20 in New York, 15 in Silicon Valley, with others in Boston, London, Singapore, Chicago, and Los Angeles. The TechAviv round-up includes 11 companies with pending SPAC mergers (like hospitality company Selina), after which they will go public and will no longer be considered private companies.
A Deloitte Catalyst report from October found that 35 Israeli companies joined the unicorn club in the first three quarters of 2021, the same number of companies that were valued at $1 billion or more in 2019 and 2020 combined.
Israel created about 16 new tech unicorns in the whole of 2020, nine in 2019 and four in 2015.
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Companies that joined the unicorn club this year include Boston-based biotech firm Immunai; Fabric, a robotics startup; cybersecurity startup Wiz with a $6 billion valuation; Melio, a fintech firm with a $4 billion valuation; global payroll firm Papaya Global; transcription company Verbit, and music app maker JoyTunes.
Investors flocking to Israel
This uptick in new unicorns is directly related to an increase in activity by foreign investors who have participated in more rounds than in previous years.
According to the SNC report, the most active foreign investor in Israeli companies in 2021 (and the most active investor generally) was Insight Partners, a New York-based firm that invested in 49 rounds in 2021, up from 17 in 2020. The company’s portfolio includes Israeli success stories like Wix and Monday.com, as well as Shopify and Twitter. American investment firm Tiger Global Management participated in 16 funding rounds in Israeli startups in 2021, up from just three in 2020.
The team of monday.com opens trade on Nasdaq; June 10, 2021 (Nasdaq)
Foreign VC funds make up four of the top 10 most active funds in Israel, according to the report. The most active Israeli VC company was OurCrowd, with 29 rounds in 2021.
“We’re seeing an entire slew of investors… coming in strong. These are some of the biggest and strongest investors out there,” said Hasson.
“While Israel used to be somewhat of a niche market for investors, trends over the last two years – which became even more pronounced in 2021 – show that it is now a go-to source of solutions for the biggest names in the industry,” the report noted. “This illustrates the level of attractiveness that Israeli companies hold for foreign investors and their growing influence on the market.”
While some observers have warned of a bubble in the market, given the investment frenzy and the sky-high valuations, Hasson said the capital flow was logical “both in terms of macroeconomics, in terms of alternative investments and where the interest market is, and in terms of the long-term growth that technology can offer.
“When we look at the valuations, they are at all-time highs, so one could say we could see a correction here, but that’s more financial speculation. I don’t see a bubble in the sense of capital stopping to flow in this direction. Even if there is some sort of correction to the valuations, it will be more of a technical one. The forces that are driving this are so strong, in terms of supply and demand for capital.”
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The one challenge that may threaten future growth for the Israeli tech sector is the shortage of human capital, he said.
The Israeli tech industry suffers from an acute shortage of engineers and programmers, which could hamper the industry’s growth, affecting the whole of the economy as well, observers have warned.
“We need to increase the pool of candidates and generate more entry points” for people from underrepresented communities such as Arab Israelis, the ultra-Orthodox, and women, generally.
“We cannot have sustainable growth without inclusivity,” Hasson said.
Another record year for IPOs and acquisitions
This year has so far been a “phenomenal year for IPOs and acquisitions,” according to the SNC report, with 57 Israeli companies going public and raising an accumulated $4 billion. The number of IPOs in 2021 is nearly triple that of 2020, which saw 22 companies go public and raise an accumulated $1.7 billion.
Prominent IPOs in 2021 included that of fraud prevention company Riskified, cybersecurity firm SentinelOne, web analytics company SimilarWeb, and project management firm Monday.com.
This year was also marked by a SPAC craze, in Israel and worldwide. But the SNC report said only 10 such mergers (including ad tech company Innovid and autonomous driving systems firm Innoviz Technologies) were finalized, raising a total of $4.9 billion.
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Innoviz shares start trading on Nasdaq on April 6, 2021 after merger with SPAC completed. (Courtesy)
Acquisition transactions also increased in number — 119, up from 91 in 2020 — but the accumulated value nearly doubled from roughly $4 billion to $7.6 billion in 2021, according to the study.
A specific notable trend was the increase in the number of Israeli startups acquired by Israel-based companies, with 39 such deals carried out in 2021, the highest number on record, up from 21 in 2020.
“These companies are acquiring other companies that are part of their growth journey and becoming category leaders in almost every sector in which they operate,” Hasson said. “We are seeing a new generation of entrepreneurs who are looking to build big, sustainable companies, and it’s very promising.”
Israeli tech exits jump 520% to whopping $82.4b in 2021, hit new records
171 M&As and IPOs recorded so far this year, with significant local acquisition activity, says new PwC report
By RICKY BEN-DAVID Today, 3:05 pm
SentinelOne rings the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, June 30, 2021, in celebration of its initial public offering. To honor the occasion, Tomer Weingarten, SentinelOne co-founder and CEO, center with arm raised, is joined by John Tuttle, NYSE Vice Chairman and Chief Commercial Officer, second from right (NYSE)
Israel’s tech firms saw exits jump an astonishing 520 percent in 2021 to an unprecedented $81.2 billion in value, shattering all previous funding records and up from $15.4 billion in 2020, according to an annual tech exits report published Wednesday by consultants PwC Israel. Exits are defined as merger and acquisition deals or initial public offerings (IPO) of shares.
The number of tech exits has grown in 2021 so far to 171 deals, compared to 60 last year, including 99 acquisitions totaling $11.5 billion in value, and 72 IPOs (including SPAC — special purpose acquisition companies — mergers), 45 of which were done on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
(IPO processes are long and complicated, and companies have to open their books to prospective investors and regulators and meet minimum revenue and asset requirements. With SPACs, companies can merge with firms that are already listed publicly, allowing them to quickly enter stock exchanges.)
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The PwC report recorded transactions between January and mid-December 2021. A separate report released earlier this week by Start-Up Nation Central detailed a record year for funding for Israeli tech firms, with an unprecedented $25 billion in investments from January through November, and 33 companies entering the unicorn club of private firms valued at over $1 billion.
The numbers “are tremendous,” said Yaron Weizenbluth, partner and head of the high-tech cluster at PwC Israel. “Last year was the end of the previous decade and it was the best year on record [for the tech sector]. It was the year of COVID-19, and we started seeing this upward trend in the later quarters of 2020 [that pointed to a strong 2021]. We were optimistic, but to be honest, we couldn’t have expected 2021 to be so unbelievable.”
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There were strong signs of the rapid adaptability and resilience of the local technology sector by mid-2020, a year in which the world was facing unprecedented economic and social struggles, Weizenbluth told The Times of Israel, but the “degree of success” was not predictable.
Yaron Weizenbluth, partner and head of the high-tech cluster at PwC Israel. (Courtesy)
The 72 IPOs and SPACs amounted to a value of approximately $71 billion, according to the PwC report, up significantly from 19 offerings in 2020 at a total value of 9.3$ billion. The average value per IPO also grew to $985 million, compared to $489 million last year, mainly due to listings in the US.
The highest-rated offering was for Israeli advertising technology firm ironSource, which started trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in June after merging with US SPAC Thoma Bravo Advantage in a deal that valued ironSource at $11 billion.
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Another high-value IPO was for cybersecurity company SentinelOne, which also completed its offering on the NYSE in June at a value of $9 billion. That same month, Monday.com completed an IPO on the Nasdaq at a value of $6.8 billion.
The PwC report noted that should it have included follow-on deals, where a company offers shares after an IPO, the value of Israeli tech exists would have amounted to a head-spinning $99.2 billion, with gaming tech company Playtika alone raising $13 billion in a follow-on deal in 2021. Playtika is owned by a Chinese investor group, which bought the company in 2016 for over $4 billion. It maintains its headquarters in Israel.
Some of the notable acquisition deals this year include that of Israeli online genealogy platform MyHeritage by Francisco Partners for $600 million, the estimated $100 million acquisition of Sedona Systems, a maker of communication technologies, by Cisco, and that of application monitoring company Epsagon for $500 million, also by Cisco.
Local acquisition activity also ramped up in 2021, with 32 deals where an Israeli company bought a local startup, an increase from 11 such transactions in 2020 and 10 in 2019. The most notable among these local acquisitions were those of Avanan by cybersecurity giant Check Point and Vdoo by DevOps company JFrog.
Weizenbluth said there may not have been a single huge acquisition deal in 2021, like the 2017 Intel acquisition of Mobileye for $15.3 billion, “but we are seeing healthy, strong deals across the board and this shows that the market is headed in the right direction.”
The “deeper story” behind the numbers, Weizenbluth posited, was that of the new “Israeli business culture” and the “new Israeli entrepreneur” who wants to build a strong company and take it public, rather than quickly develop and sell technology. This culture is “marked by chutzpah, quick thinking and acting, building a company, going public, and then coming back and buying an Israeli company to accelerate their own,” he told The Times of Israel in November during an interview for a preview of the report.
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“What we are seeing is a cycle that many Israeli entrepreneurs are closing. If three or four years ago, the dream for founders was still to sell their company, now their dream is to buy a company,” he said. “Israeli buyers are closer to the ecosystem, they are immersed in it and they see the potential.”
In 2022 and 2023, Weizenbluth said the tech industry is likely to see “more selective IPOs because the SPAC hype [that marked the beginning of 2021] is behind us.”
The SPAC boom “accelerated a process that gave companies the opportunity to enter the stock market through the back door,” and “we are going to see healthier IPOs activity in the US market,” he said.
“We seeing a lot of new unicorns in 2021, [33 and counting] and these are good, healthy companies whose next moves may include going public next year,” said Weizenbluth.
以色列科技出口在 2021 年躍升 520% 至 82.4 億美元，創下新紀錄
新的普華永道報告稱，今年迄今已錄得 171 宗併購和首次公開募股，其中包括大量本地收購活動
由瑞奇·本-戴維 今天，下午 3:05
SentinelOne 於 2021 年 6 月 30 日在紐約證券交易所敲響收盤鐘，以慶祝其首次公開募股。為慶祝這一時刻，SentinelOne 聯合創始人兼首席執行官托默·溫加滕 (Tomer Weingarten) 與紐約證券交易所副主席兼首席商務官約翰·塔特爾 (右二 (紐約證券交易所)) 一同出席。
根據諮詢公司普華永道以色列週三發布的年度科技退出報告，以色列科技公司的退出在 2021 年飆升了 520%，達到前所未有的 812 億美元，打破了之前所有的融資記錄，高於 2020 年的 154 億美元。退出被定義為合併和收購交易或股票的首次公開募股 (IPO)。
到 2021 年為止，科技退出的數量已增加至 171 筆交易，而去年為 60 筆，其中包括 99 筆總價值為 115 億美元的收購，以及 72 筆 IPO（包括 SPAC——特殊目的收購公司——合併），其中 45 筆已完成在特拉維夫證券交易所。
（IPO流程漫長而復雜，公司必須向潛在投資者和監管機構公開賬目，並滿足最低收入和資產要求。通過SPAC，公司可以與已經公開上市的公司合併，從而使它們能夠快速進入證券交易所。 )
Read More
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普華永道的報告記錄了 2021 年 1 月至 12 月中旬之間的交易。 Start-Up Nation Central 本週早些時候發布的另一份報告詳細介紹了以色列科技公司創紀錄的一年融資記錄，1 月至 11 月的投資達到了前所未有的250 億美元，以及33 家公司進入私營企業獨角獸俱樂部，估值超過 10 億美元。
PwC Israel 合夥人兼高科技集群負責人 Yaron Weizenbluth 表示，這些數字“非常龐大”。“去年是前十年的結束，這是有記錄以來（科技行業）最好的一年。那是 COVID-19 的一年，我們在 2020 年後期開始看到這種上升趨勢 [表明 2021 年強勁]。我們很樂觀，但老實說，我們沒想到 2021 年會如此令人難以置信。”
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Weizenbluth 告訴《以色列時報》，到 2020 年年中，世界正面臨前所未有的經濟和社會鬥爭，當地技術部門的快速適應能力和恢復力有明顯的跡象，但“成功程度”並不高。可預見的。
普華永道以色列合夥人兼高科技集群負責人 Yaron Weizenbluth。（禮貌）
根據普華永道的報告，這 72 次 IPO 和 SPAC 的總價值約為 710 億美元，遠高於 2020 年的 19 次發行，總價值為 93 億美元。每次 IPO 的平均價值也從去年的 4.89 億美元增至 9.85 億美元，這主要是由於在美國上市。
評級最高的是以色列廣告技術公司 IronSource，該公司在與美國 SPAC Thoma Bravo Advantage 合併後，於 6 月開始在紐約證券交易所 (NYSE)交易，該交易對 IronSource 的估值為 110 億美元。
廣告
另一項高價值 IPO 是網絡安全公司 SentinelOne，該公司也於 6 月完成了在紐約證券交易所的發行，價值 90 億美元。同月，Monday.com 在納斯達克完成了 68 億美元的 IPO。
普華永道的報告指出，如果包括後續交易，即公司在首次公開募股後發行股票，以色列科技現有的價值將達到 992 億美元，僅遊戲科技公司 Playtika 就籌集了 130 億美元。 2021 年的後續交易。 Playtika 歸一家中國投資集團所有，該集團於 2016 年以超過 40 億美元的價格收購了該公司。它的總部設在以色列。
一些著名的收購交易，今年包括以色列的在線家譜平台MyHeritage的Francisco Partners公司以6億$，估計億$收購塞多納系統，通信技術的製造商，思科，以及應用程序監控公司的Epsagon $ 500萬，同樣來自思科。
本地收購活動在 2021 年也有所增加，一家以色列公司收購了一家本地初創公司的交易有 32 筆，比 2020 年的 11 筆和 2019 年的 10 筆有所增加。 這些本地收購中最引人注目的是網絡安全巨頭 Check Point 對 Avanan 的收購和 DevOps 公司 JFrog 的 Vdoo。
Weizenbluth 表示，2021 年可能不會有一筆巨額收購交易，比如 2017 年英特爾以 153 億美元收購 Mobileye，“但我們看到全面健康、強勁的交易，這表明市場正朝著正確的方向發展。”
Weizenbluth 假設，這些數字背後的“更深層次的故事”是新的“以色列商業文化”和“新以色列企業家”的故事，他們想要建立一家強大的公司並將其上市，而不是快速開發和銷售技術。他在 11 月接受《以色列時報》採訪時表示，這種文化“以膽大妄為、思維敏捷、行動迅速、建立公司、上市，然後回來購買以色列公司以加速發展”為標誌。那個報告。
廣告
“我們看到的是許多以色列企業家正在關閉的循環。如果說在三四年前，創始人的夢想仍然是出售他們的公司，那麼現在他們的夢想是收購一家公司，”他說。“以色列買家更接近生態系統，他們沉浸在其中並看到了潛力。”
Weizenbluth 表示，在 2022 年和 2023 年，科技行業可能會看到“更具選擇性的 IPO，因為SPAC 炒作[標誌著 2021 年初] 已經過去了。”
他說，SPAC 的繁榮“加速了一個讓公司有機會通過後門進入股市的過程”，“我們將看到美國市場上更健康的 IPO 活動”。
“我們在 2021 年看到了很多新的獨角獸，[33 家並且還在增加中]，這些都是好的、健康的公司，它們的下一步行動可能包括明年上市，”Weizenbluth 說。
Israeli tech exits jump 520% to whopping $82.4b in 2021, hit new records
171 M&As and IPOs recorded so far this year, with significant local acquisition activity, says new PwC report
By RICKY BEN-DAVID Today, 3:05 pm
SentinelOne rings the closing bell at the New York Stock Exchange, June 30, 2021, in celebration of its initial public offering. To honor the occasion, Tomer Weingarten, SentinelOne co-founder and CEO, center with arm raised, is joined by John Tuttle, NYSE Vice Chairman and Chief Commercial Officer, second from right (NYSE)
Israel’s tech firms saw exits jump an astonishing 520 percent in 2021 to an unprecedented $81.2 billion in value, shattering all previous funding records and up from $15.4 billion in 2020, according to an annual tech exits report published Wednesday by consultants PwC Israel. Exits are defined as merger and acquisition deals or initial public offerings (IPO) of shares.
The number of tech exits has grown in 2021 so far to 171 deals, compared to 60 last year, including 99 acquisitions totaling $11.5 billion in value, and 72 IPOs (including SPAC — special purpose acquisition companies — mergers), 45 of which were done on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange.
(IPO processes are long and complicated, and companies have to open their books to prospective investors and regulators and meet minimum revenue and asset requirements. With SPACs, companies can merge with firms that are already listed publicly, allowing them to quickly enter stock exchanges.)
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The PwC report recorded transactions between January and mid-December 2021. A separate report released earlier this week by Start-Up Nation Central detailed a record year for funding for Israeli tech firms, with an unprecedented $25 billion in investments from January through November, and 33 companies entering the unicorn club of private firms valued at over $1 billion.
The numbers “are tremendous,” said Yaron Weizenbluth, partner and head of the high-tech cluster at PwC Israel. “Last year was the end of the previous decade and it was the best year on record [for the tech sector]. It was the year of COVID-19, and we started seeing this upward trend in the later quarters of 2020 [that pointed to a strong 2021]. We were optimistic, but to be honest, we couldn’t have expected 2021 to be so unbelievable.”
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There were strong signs of the rapid adaptability and resilience of the local technology sector by mid-2020, a year in which the world was facing unprecedented economic and social struggles, Weizenbluth told The Times of Israel, but the “degree of success” was not predictable.
Yaron Weizenbluth, partner and head of the high-tech cluster at PwC Israel. (Courtesy)
The 72 IPOs and SPACs amounted to a value of approximately $71 billion, according to the PwC report, up significantly from 19 offerings in 2020 at a total value of 9.3$ billion. The average value per IPO also grew to $985 million, compared to $489 million last year, mainly due to listings in the US.
The highest-rated offering was for Israeli advertising technology firm ironSource, which started trading on the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) in June after merging with US SPAC Thoma Bravo Advantage in a deal that valued ironSource at $11 billion.
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Another high-value IPO was for cybersecurity company SentinelOne, which also completed its offering on the NYSE in June at a value of $9 billion. That same month, Monday.com completed an IPO on the Nasdaq at a value of $6.8 billion.
The PwC report noted that should it have included follow-on deals, where a company offers shares after an IPO, the value of Israeli tech exists would have amounted to a head-spinning $99.2 billion, with gaming tech company Playtika alone raising $13 billion in a follow-on deal in 2021. Playtika is owned by a Chinese investor group, which bought the company in 2016 for over $4 billion. It maintains its headquarters in Israel.
Some of the notable acquisition deals this year include that of Israeli online genealogy platform MyHeritage by Francisco Partners for $600 million, the estimated $100 million acquisition of Sedona Systems, a maker of communication technologies, by Cisco, and that of application monitoring company Epsagon for $500 million, also by Cisco.
Local acquisition activity also ramped up in 2021, with 32 deals where an Israeli company bought a local startup, an increase from 11 such transactions in 2020 and 10 in 2019. The most notable among these local acquisitions were those of Avanan by cybersecurity giant Check Point and Vdoo by DevOps company JFrog.
Weizenbluth said there may not have been a single huge acquisition deal in 2021, like the 2017 Intel acquisition of Mobileye for $15.3 billion, “but we are seeing healthy, strong deals across the board and this shows that the market is headed in the right direction.”
The “deeper story” behind the numbers, Weizenbluth posited, was that of the new “Israeli business culture” and the “new Israeli entrepreneur” who wants to build a strong company and take it public, rather than quickly develop and sell technology. This culture is “marked by chutzpah, quick thinking and acting, building a company, going public, and then coming back and buying an Israeli company to accelerate their own,” he told The Times of Israel in November during an interview for a preview of the report.
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“What we are seeing is a cycle that many Israeli entrepreneurs are closing. If three or four years ago, the dream for founders was still to sell their company, now their dream is to buy a company,” he said. “Israeli buyers are closer to the ecosystem, they are immersed in it and they see the potential.”
In 2022 and 2023, Weizenbluth said the tech industry is likely to see “more selective IPOs because the SPAC hype [that marked the beginning of 2021] is behind us.”
The SPAC boom “accelerated a process that gave companies the opportunity to enter the stock market through the back door,” and “we are going to see healthier IPOs activity in the US market,” he said.
“We seeing a lot of new unicorns in 2021, [33 and counting] and these are good, healthy companies whose next moves may include going public next year,” said Weizenbluth.
關鍵證人說他以總理的名義向媒體要求薩拉內塔尼亞胡
赫菲茨說，他對作證反對前總理的妻子感到矛盾：“她有許多美麗的品質”；說他和內塔尼亞胡都不認為他們在做任何違法的事情
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2021 年 12 月 13 日，在耶路撒冷地方法院對前總理本雅明·內塔尼亞胡進行審判的 Nir ​​Hefetz 抵達法庭聽證會。 (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
本傑明·內塔尼亞胡審判中檢方的一名關鍵證人周三表示，當請求實際上來自他的妻子薩拉·內塔尼亞胡時，他曾多次以內塔尼亞胡的名義向瓦拉新聞網站提出要求。
他還表示，他和前總理“都不認為我們的行為是非法的”。
前內塔尼亞胡家族發言人兼知己尼爾·赫菲茨說，他以內塔尼亞胡的名義向前瓦拉首席執行官伊蘭·耶舒亞提出了這些要求，以更好地說服他去做他的競標。但他表示，他從未欺騙過 Bezeq 的控股股東 Shaul Elovitch。
赫菲茨是該州 4000 案件的明星證人，這是內塔尼亞胡面臨指控的三起案件中最嚴重的案件。據稱，這位前總理致力於非法謀取 Bezeq 控股股東 Elovitch 的商業利益，以換取 Elovitch 擁有的 Walla 新聞網站的正面報導。
“有時我使用 [本傑明] 內塔尼亞胡的名字作為提出請求的人，當 [薩拉] 的請求沒有充分根據時，所以他們不會拒絕它，”赫菲茨週三表示，在他的第四周站立。
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“我不相信耶穌。當請求發送給 Elovitch 時，我確切地說明了它們來自誰，”Hefetz 說。
赫菲茨說，他對作證指控前總理的妻子感到矛盾。薩拉·內塔尼亞胡 (Sara Netanyahu) 捲入了無數爭議，例如涉嫌對家政人員的辱罵行為，有時在以色列媒體中被描述為專橫和易變。
赫菲茨說：“除了我自己的家人之外，我簽署協議成為國家見證人的最大情感困難是薩拉內塔尼亞胡。”
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赫菲茨說，本傑明·內塔尼亞胡知道赫菲茨正在為薩拉發送信息。總理有時代表薩拉寫信息，因為“他覺得她因為他而受到傷害。”
“還因為他真的很愛她，不像故事所說的那樣。”
2020 年 3 月 3 日，以色列選舉當晚，本傑明·內塔尼亞胡總理和他的妻子薩拉在特拉維夫的利庫德集團總部向他們的支持者發表講話。 (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
赫菲茨說，薩拉·內塔尼亞胡“有許多媒體沒有表達過的美麗品質。即使我努力平衡畫面，我也是出於善意。”
作為內塔尼亞胡和埃洛維奇之間的對話者，赫菲茨向檢察官提供了關鍵信息。Hefetz 通常是將總理的願望傳達給 Walla 管理層的人，並已作證 這種關係的性質。
赫菲茨於 2009 年離開了長期從事新聞業的工作，擔任內塔尼亞胡政府發言人，並於 2014 年成為內塔尼亞胡家族的發言人和顧問。
2018 年，在他因涉嫌與內塔尼亞胡的一起腐敗案件有關而被捕後，赫菲茨簽署了一份國家證人協議，並向調查人員提供了與內塔尼亞胡及其家人的談話錄音。
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上週，赫菲茨說，他於 2017 年離職，因為他擔心當時的總理不再適合任職。赫菲茨聲稱在他任職期間發生了一起危及數千人的絕密安全事件。
他上週還表示，總理曾數十次試圖“為了個人需要而掠奪國家資金”。
赫菲茨表示，內塔尼亞胡不願自掏腰包支付任何“1000 起案件”，其中前總理被指控接受兩位億萬富翁——好萊塢以色列電影大亨阿農·米爾坎 (Arnon Milchan) 提供的價值數十萬美元的禮物和澳大利亞大亨詹姆斯帕克。
“當我確定他知道他處於一個有犯罪問題的地方時，他繼續 [這種行為]，”赫菲茨說。
赫菲茨還表示，他曾就後來成為 2000 案件的情況向內塔尼亞胡發出警告，在該案件中，這位前總理被指控試圖與 Yedioth Ahronoth 出版商 Arnon Mozes 達成交換條件，以獲得積極的媒體報導，以換取削弱競爭對手報紙以色列 Hayom 的立法。
Hefetz 的證詞主要與 Case 4000 有關，但其中一些與 Case 2000 有關。
內塔尼亞胡否認對他的所有指控，並表示這些指控是由一個有偏見的警察部隊和國家檢察機關捏造的，由弱小的司法部長監督，與政治對手和媒體結盟。
Key witness says he made media demands for Sara Netanyahu under premier’s name
Hefetz says he was conflicted about testifying against former PM’s wife: ‘She has many beautiful qualities’; says neither he nor Netanyahu thought they were doing anything illegal
By TOI STAFFToday, 10:30 pm
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Nir Hefetz seen as he arrives for a court hearing in the trial against former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, at the District Court in Jerusalem, December 13, 2021. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)
A key witness for the prosecution in Benjamin Netanyahu’s trial said Wednesday that he had on multiple occasions made demands of the Walla news site under Netanyahu’s name when the requests actually came from his wife, Sara Netanyahu.
He also said both he and the former premier “did not think that what we were doing was illegal.”
Former Netanyahu family spokesman and confidant Nir Hefetz said he made the requests in Netanyahu’s name to former Walla CEO Ilan Yeshua to better convince him to do his bidding. But he said he never deceived Bezeq’s controlling shareholder Shaul Elovitch.
Hefetz is the state’s star witness in Case 4000, the most serious of the three cases in which Netanyahu is facing charges. The ex-premier is alleged to have worked to illicitly and lucratively benefit the business interests of Bezeq’s controlling shareholder Elovitch in exchange for positive coverage on the Walla news site owned by Elovitch.
“Sometimes I used the name of [Benjamin] Netanyahu as the one making the request, when the request from [Sara] was not well-founded, so they wouldn’t refuse it,” Hefetz said Wednesday, during his fourth week on the stand.
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“I didn’t trust Yeshua. When the requests went to Elovitch, I said exactly who they were from,” Hefetz said.
Hefetz said he had conflicted feelings about testifying against the former premier’s wife. Sara Netanyahu has been involved in numerous controversies, such as allegedly abusive behavior toward housekeeping staff, and is sometimes portrayed in Israeli media as domineering and volatile.
Hefetz said, “My biggest emotional difficulty in signing the agreement to be a state’s witness, aside from my own family, was Sara Netanyahu.”
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Benjamin Netanyahu was aware that Hefetz was sending messages for Sara, Hefetz said. The premier sometimes wrote messages on Sara’s behalf because “he felt she was being hurt because of him.”
“Also because he really loves her, unlike what the stories say.”
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his wife Sara address their supporters on the night of the Israeli elections, at Likud party headquarters in Tel Aviv, on March 3, 2020. (Olivier Fitoussi/Flash90)
Hefetz said Sara Netanyahu “has many beautiful qualities that are not expressed in the media. Even when I worked to balance the picture, I did it in good faith.”
Hefetz has provided prosecutors with key information as an interlocutor between Netanyahu and Elovitch. Hefetz was often the one communicating the premier’s wishes to Walla management and has testified on the nature of this relationship.
Hefetz left a long career in journalism in 2009 to work as a spokesman for Netanyahu’s government, and in 2014 became the Netanyahu family’s spokesman and adviser.
In 2018, after he was arrested as a possible accomplice in connection with one of Netanyahu’s corruption cases, Hefetz signed a state witness deal and provided investigators with recordings of conversations with Netanyahu and his family.
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Last week, Hefetz said that he left his position in 2017 because he feared the then-prime minister was no longer fit to serve. Hefetz alleged that there was a top-secret security incident during his tenure that endangered thousands.
He also said last week that the premier tried “to rob the state’s funds for personal needs” on dozens of occasions.
Hefetz said Netanyahu was reluctant to pay for anything out of pocket “a la Case 1000,” in which the former prime minister is accused of accepting hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of gifts from two billionaires — Hollywood-based Israeli movie mogul Arnon Milchan and Australian magnate James Packer.
“He continued [with this behavior] when I was sure he knew he was in a criminally problematic place,” Hefetz said.
Hefetz also said he had warned Netanyahu about what later became Case 2000, in which the former premier is accused of attempting to reach a quid pro quo with Yedioth Ahronoth publisher Arnon Mozes for positive media coverage in exchange for legislation weakening rival newspaper Israel Hayom.
Hefetz’s testimony has mostly pertained to Case 4000, but some of it has related to Case 2000.
Netanyahu denies all allegations against him, and says the charges were fabricated by a biased police force and state prosecution service, overseen by a weak attorney general, in league with political opponents and the media.
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