Hawaii, Israel to share technology on range of shared issues

Hawaii and Israel on Wednesday forged a “historic” agreement to share technology that could help Hawaii with desalinization, creating water out of “thin air,” cybersecurity and artificial intelligence.

In exchange, Israel could learn techniques from Hawaii to protect its marine environments in the Dead Sea, Lake of Galilee and the Red Sea, along with ways to preserve other natural habitats, said Consul General Hillel Newman from the Consulate General of Israel in Los Angeles.

The memorandum of understanding signed by Newman and Gov. David Ige calls for collaborative research on a wide range of areas of shared concerns, such as water, agriculture, food security, climate change, sea level rise, marine sciences and alternative energy, Ige said.

The University of Hawaii already receives research grants through the U.S.-Israel Binational Science Foundation.

“We look forward to seeing more of this type of Hawaii- Israeli research collaboration as we both seek to address some of the most challenging and difficult issues of climate change and environmental challenges of our time,” Ige said.

The new agreement could result in Israeli researchers and businesses arriving in Hawaii, Newman said at a news conference in Ige’s ceremonial room that was attended by former Gov. Linda Lingle, Hawaii County Mayor Mitch Roth and UH President David Lassner, who worked as a shepherd in Israel in his 20s.

It will bring “people from different corners of the world together,” Ige said, and “will combine our wisdom, knowledge, skills and resources, our cultural heritage, to build a bridge of goodwill with the people of the state of Israel.”

Israel operates the largest desalination plant in the Middle East and has exported its technology to the Navajo Nation in Arizona, Newman said.

Ige opened and closed the news conference with “aloha and shalom” and Newman began his remarks with “shalom and aloha.”

Ige and Newman separately talked about the similarities “between two perhaps small states … of great uniqueness and character” — similarities that Newman called “shaloha.”

He joked that, “we are both surrounded by sharks — in our case human sharks.”

“There is great admiration in Israel for Hawaii,” Newman said. “As nature lovers and great preservers of nature, which Israelis are, we are overwhelmed by the beautiful landscape and natural surroundings that your great state has been blessed with. … One needs a lifetime to experience the beauty of Hawaii.”

By working together, Newman said that “we would like to learn more about the Hawaiian traditions, beliefs and culture. Please share with us in the future.”