MAKING DRIVING EASIER

I have long pointed out the truly extraordinary contribution and ground-breaking scientific advances made in the small state of Israel, for example, developing the technology that helps power instant messaging, the I-phone, laptop and desktop computers, as well as life-saving medical devices. Even Arab leaders, such as King Abdullah of Jordan, have noticed that Israel is at the forefront of these achievements.

Now finally some British journalists are waking up to it too. The following video is the first of three reports due to be broadcast on Britain’s Channel 4 News on Israeli technological successes, and how are they being exported around the world.

There is not a single mention of human rights or war or occupation in this news clip.

(In the past, Channel 4 News has been particularly harsh in its attacks on Israel. It has been at least as bad as its rival, BBC News, possibly even worse. Channel 4 is also infamous for having invited Iranian despot broadcast Mahmoud Ahmadinejad to deliver a seven-minute “Christmas message” to the British people in place of the English Queen on Christmas Eve 2008. Since then, various senior staff at Channel 4 News have subscribed to this email list/website.)

The other two reports on Channel 4 News on Israeli technology success will be placed on this website once they have been broadcast. They are due to be broadcast later this month or early next month.

It is interesting to see reporters like Benjamin Cohen make videos like this without, a senior Channel 4 producer tells me, any interference from organized “pro-Israel” pressure groups in Britain, whose work, Channel 4 says, is often counter-productive and hinders news reports like this being made.

UPDATE, July 2, 2011

The second of the reports on Channel 4 News examining how Israeli technological innovations – from computer memory sticks to the invention of online chat – are being used across the world, was broadcast this evening.

Here it is: