Why I’m flying to Texas in the middle of a war - opinion

Israel is currently in the midst of a war that has profoundly shaken the nation to its core.

As a mother of four, with two children enlisted in the army, and as a deputy mayor of Jerusalem with constituents in need as well as nearly 50,000 evacuees from around the country currently in our city, I do not take the decision to travel outside of Israel lightly.

However, when CEO Glenn Hamer of the Texas Business Association, the official state Chamber of Commerce of Texas, invited me to keynote their annual conference, I felt it was important to attend, in part to reciprocate the strong support and solidarity the Lone Star state has shown Israel.

With 15% of the workforce called up to serve in reserves during the war, Israeli tech companies are hurting. This challenge compounds the steep decline in foreign direct investment, which had already been impacted by the spiking interest rates.

In our innovation-driven economy, the Israeli hi-tech sector will ultimately prove resilient, but more than ever, it relies on global trading partners.

Texas is Israel's partner

The state of Texas is a major partner with the start-up nation. Many Israeli companies have established a presence in Texas, and a sizable percentage of the US defense establishment is based there. In fact, the F-35 planes, which Israel has purchased for its defense, are manufactured in Fort Worth, TX.

The relationship between “The Start-Up Nation (Israel) and the Scale-up State (Texas),” as Texas Association of Business chairman Massey Villarreal calls it, will lead the way to a more prosperous Texas and Israel, especially at a time when Israel needs a boost in economic development and international collaborations.

In addition, the recent Abraham Accords bring an extra opportunity triangulated with other states in the Middle East and anchored in the strong relationship between Texas and Israel. These emergent and thriving business ties between Gulf countries and Israel have continued largely unhindered despite the war.

As co-founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council, my perspective has always been that positive relations proceed by jointly pursuing our common interests in the realm of business. As the eighth-largest economy in the world, Texas is a natural gateway to the largest economies in its region. Texas and the Middle East have a lot in common, especially in terms of resources, and the partnership between Texas and Israel will build on the inroads made through the Abraham Accords.

Looking forward, Texas and Israel working together can lead the world as partners in sectors such as AI, defense, semiconductors, autonomous mobility, cyber, energy, water, and agriculture – basically, all of the critical areas for a modern economy.

In Texas, support for Israel has been demonstrated by leaders at all levels and across all sectors. Texas Governor Greg Abbott recently led a solidarity mission to Israel, bringing Oklahoma Governor Kevin Stitt with him, less than a month after the tragic October 7 massacre.

Abbot met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other leaders on a whirlwind and well-planned trip. The clear moral stand and leadership by the Texas governor was evident in every media appearance and in his genuine warmth and support for the families of the hostages.

Texas has also shown unequivocal support to Israel in the state legislature, now and in the past. It is home to one of the strongest anti-BDS laws in the US, and within two days of Oct. 7, Texas State Senator Phil King introduced resolution SR-2 to express Texas’s solidarity with and support for the people of Israel. The resolution passed in the state Senate unanimously, 31-0.

Action followed words. Texas Comptroller Glenn Hegar promptly purchased an additional $65 million in Israel Bonds in just the five weeks since the beginning of the war. This incredible contribution is vital to Israel’s security so that it can continue to innovate in all sectors.

The ties between Texas and Israel are extensive and continuously expanding beyond the state’s broad support for Israel. I look forward to expressing my gratitude when I speak at the Texas Association of Businesses’ Policy Summit: Texas on the Global Scale on December 7 in Austin.

The writer is a deputy mayor of Jerusalem, co-founder of the UAE-Israel Business Council, and was recently appointed as a special Israeli envoy for innovation.