Deputy Foreign Minister Danny Ayalon today (Sunday), 21.2.10, met with United States Deputy Secretary of State for Management and Resources Jacob L. Lew. The Deputy Foreign Minister told the Deputy Secretary of State that is was a Jewish injunction for Israel to assist in global humanitarian projects. “This is part of the Jewish concept of Tikkun Olam,” Ayalon said.

Ayalon discussed a shared willingness to promote heightened cooperation for trilateral development projects with development countries between Israel’s MASHAV and USAID, similar to the agreement Ayalon signed recently with his German counterpart. “Israel can add its expertise to any development projects that the US is involved in and can assist especially in areas such as water management and public health,” Ayalon suggested. “We are currently working with the German government on humanitarian efforts in Africa.”

“We hope to build training centers in the near future for experts from around the world to study the latest techniques here in Israel,” Ayalon said. “We are creating guidelines for this framework.”

The Deputy Foreign Minister and Deputy Secretary of State also discussed ways that the two nations can cooperate to improve the economy in the Palestinian Authority. The Deputy Secretary of State also said how he appreciated Israel’s work in Haiti and said that it was indicative of how the two nations can cooperate.

Ayalon further suggested that the US and Israel could cooperate on research and development for alternative energy, and immediately after the meeting the Deputy Secretary of State met with Shai Agassi, Founder and CEO of Better Place.

Earlier, Deputy Secretary of State Lew met with the Foreign Ministry Director-General Yossi Gal; it was agreed that Israeli and US expert teams would be established with a view to coordinating trilateral MASHAV cooperation.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)