Israel in The World: Changing Lives Through Innovation [Hardcover]

Instead, in a style reminiscent of Reader's Digest, it shows how in field after field, Israel has developed new technologies which has made it top in that area. In some areas, it's so far ahead, that there is no competition. For example, cameras incorporated into pills, which as they pass through the body, take 50,000 images, giving doctors the ability to see inside the body.

In short, it's a patriotic flag waving exercise. For those who love Israel, it's an ability to smile, as they see the sucess of this little country. For those who take a broader interest in business and technology, there is much to learn about how to utilise a country's brainpower and the way things are going.

Comments on Israel come from Tony Blair, Bill Gates, Christopher 'Superman' Reeve, and Bill Clinton; with an introduction by Rupert Murdoch. Highly recommended!

For example, at the Weizmann Institute, Dr Michal Schwartz has developed a way of harnessing immune system cells to repair and revive damaged nerve fibres. Other medical breakthroughs include the miniscule camera-in-a-tablet used for internal diagnosis, ultrasound for destroying tumours and Israel's highly effective disaster relief operations.

A great help to third world people has been the discovery by scientist Yoel Margalith of the Bti bacterium that kills certain kinds of flies and harmful mosquitoes. This has already saved millions of livers and is an environment-friendly intervention. Most remarkable is that Margalith is a holocaust survivor, of both the Bergen-Belsen and Teresienstadt camps.

In many fields Israel is so far ahead of the pack that other countries have no chance of catching up. One of the most interesting innovations developed in Israel is a project to avoid collisions between aircraft and migratory birds. It involved the study of the flight paths of birds. This work of researcher Yossi Leshem is now also used by the Jordanian and Turkish air-force.

Israel has more engineers per capita than any other country on earth and a remarkable number of hi-tech companies. Innovation in the fields of computers and information technology is particularly impressive. This encompasses software, operating systems, storage & retrieval systems, verification and firewall technologies, plus a host of mobile phone applications.

Israel's creativity is not restricted to science and technology, as there is also much happening in arts and culture. Despite its small size and its many enemies, this country is bursting with creative energy and making a huge contribution to the global marketplace and to quality of life worldwide.

The founders of this brave country were aware that Israel had almost no natural resources and that its people therefore had to develop and apply their brainpower. Well, they are succeeding spectacularly. What a pity that Israel has to devote so much of its money and resources to protect itself from its neighbours! If its full genius were given free reign, it would become even more of a blessing to the world.

This book showcases the many numerous innovations and technologies coming out of Israel and how Israel is thriving in so many areas. For all the negative commentary that is directed against this tiny country, few are aware of the many humanitarian technologies and schemes that Israel has created or set up, including the building of a complete new town in Turkey after the original town was destroyed in an earthquake. Israel is helping many people in Africa and India with irrigation schemes, teaching people how to achieve successful cultivation in arid and inhospitable climates. There are just so many examples across the board, ranging from medical inventions to stress management techniques to a campaign to stop the trading of endangered apes in Africa - all done by Israelis. These are just a few of the many achievements showcased in this book. What is most fascinating is that this has all been achieved despite being in almost constant war and being surrounded and outnumbered by aggressive neighbours, and being depicted in almost demonic terms by the Western media. I am not a religious person, but the story of modern Israel is truly a miracle story of survival against all the odds, Israel's David versus the World's Goliath.