30 Years of Cooperation: Georgia, Israel & World Jewry
From April 29 to May 6, Israeli Week is to take place in Georgia, organized by the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business and the Israeli House, which includes 30 events, a business forum among them. Prior to the forum, we spoke with Itsik Moshe, the President of the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business.
HOW WOULD YOU EVALUATE THE ISRAELI-GEORGIAN COOPERATION IN RECENT YEARS?
The cooperation between Georgia and Israel is becoming more diversed by the year. The progress of the economic partnership, the growth in Israeli investments and tourist inflow has very much contributed to the enhancement of the collaboration between the two countries.
I can state, without exaggerating, that the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business has played an incredibly significant role in the current relations between the countries, as it has been actively involved in the process of rising interest in Israel and world Jewry towards Georgia.
The business forums and media sources represent the main tool in this case, helping the Chamber of Business in terms of promoting Georgia. The major investments of the Israeli investors and the representatives of the Jewish community are currently mostly allocated in the sphere of real estate. The total amount of this money exceeds several hundred million dollars; however, it is not marked as an Israeli investment in the official statistics. The reason for that is the fact that the vast majority of inflow comes from offshore or is part of a joint investment or is the capital of the Jewish community of different countries.
It is incomprehensible to hear conversation about the lack of investments from Israel. The facts prove the opposite. Israel is the first in terms of an increase in tourist flow, which amount to 114%. For example, according to the figures of the Georgian National Tourism Administration, in the first quarter of this year, compared to the same period of last year, there is an increase of 5%, or $28 million. In the relevant period, the tourist inflow from Israel was 114%, which in numbers amounts to 14,000 tourists, meaning that 50% of the increased number comes from Israeli tourists.
Israel was the first country to make private investments in Georgia. The contribution of Israeli investments and tourists for the Georgian economy exceeds $1 billion. And if one of the parameters is low, this is not a problem, but rather a mark showing the need to strengthen joint work. Our aim at the Israel-Georgia Business Chamber is to attract investments from Israel and the Jewish community to Georgia, with the help of the Georgian government.
YET, THE ACTIVITIES OF THE ISRAEL-GEORGIA BUSINESS CHAMBER AND ISRAELI HOUSE ALSO COVER OTHER SPHERES, TOO.
The 5-star Wyndham Grand Hotel, launched in the museum district in the heart of Tbilisi, which was built by the investment company CityM, that holds 100% from the hotel shares, has become the symbol of the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business promotion in the recent years, the opening ceremony of which is to take place on May 2, seeing the Head of the Georgian government participating. However, prior to the event, within the scope of Israeli Week, the Georgian-Israeli Business Forum is to be held on April 30, organized by the Chamber of Business, which will bring together more than 100 businesspersons from Israel. The major aim of the forum is for potential Israeli investors to receive the message from Official Tbilisi regarding the interest of the Government to solve the issues which certain investors have had to face, and to make them feel confident about the future.
We do not have time to first solve the problems and then attract investments. Both have to take place at the same time.
The work of Israeli House is multilateral. Culture and preservation of cultural heritage has been one of its main directions in recent years. Discovering each other’s cultures is a wonderful opportunity for the countries to better explore each other. Georgia certainly has the right to tell Israel more in this respect. In case of the representation of Israel, Israeli House is working to demonstrate the real Israel to Georgia. The latter, however, has proved to be a major challenge for the development of direct governmental cooperation between the two countries. In order to enhance the cooperation, the countries have to better know each other, be aware of each other’s past and present, culture, business culture, potential and aspirations. Israeli House has made some major steps in this respect. With its support, History of the Holocaust lessons have been offered in three Georgian universities for two years, an Israeli Cabinet has been opened in two universities, a Jewish library corner has been launched at the National Library; and contests of students works on a Jewish theme are carried out at universities. 10 winners are already set to go to Israel, where they will visit the parliament and military, meet their counterparts and get to present their homeland.
All of our initiatives are suited to the interests of the country. I have been working in post-soviet countries, including Georgia, for 30 years and was the first representative of the Jewish Agency for Israel and one of the initiators of the governmental cooperation between Israel and several post-soviet republics.
YOU OFTEN DRAW A PARALLEL BETWEEN GEORGIA AND ISRAEL AND SUGGEST GEORGIA TAKE INTO ACCOUNT ISRAEL’S EXPERIENCE. WHAT ARE THE GROUNDS FOR THIS?
Georgia is similar to Israel, and sharing the Israeli experience, particularly regarding the economic policy will be beneficial for it. It would be useful to involve the Consuls and Embassies in terms of attracting investments. It should be their obligation. The Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business appealed to the Georgian side with this initiative two years ago. It is also a good idea for Georgia to use the same methods in the respect of supporting startups, which are considered to be successful in Israel.
THE NUMBER OF ILLEGAL GEORGIAN RESIDENTS IS ON THE RISE IN ISRAEL. WHAT DO YOU THINK IS THE SOLUTION?
One of our initiatives at the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business and Israeli House was focused on granting Georgian citizens work visas for Israel. The issue gained importance after the growth in the number of illegal Georgian migrants entering the country. Israel will not allow illegal migrants to reside on its territory: an illicit stay has no justification, even with the terminology that is often used in regard to Georgian-Israeli cooperation. Two years ago, we presented an initiative to temporarily stop the visa-free regime between Georgia and Israel until the eradication of the problem regarding the migrant flow, and to allow a special bilateral group to investigate the issue. In addition, Georgia was to receive a particular quota from Israel regarding working visas, which would enable Georgian citizens to avoid selling their real estate or applying for loans for the purpose of getting a job in Israel. In introducing a quota, the citizens of Georgia, like the citizens of other Eastern European countries, would be able to work and earn a wage. This is also among the interests of Israel, as the deportation of each illegal migrants means the ‘formation’ of one more individual with an anti-Israeli attitude. The initiative of the Chamber of Business and Israeli House proved to be impossible to carry out for both sides. Currently, despite the strict and obligatory control at the airports, the figure of deported individuals does not exceed 12%.
Introducing the real Israel to friendly countries and contributing to the establishment of direct communications is the main direction of the concept of Israeli House. Public awareness about Israel has increased in Georgia. This is a path, through which society is focused on direct cooperation, rather than on illusions. The frequent travel of Israeli politicians, businessmen and public figures, organized by the Israel-Georgia Chamber of Business and Israeli House, plays a big role in this. Civic and working visits from Georgia, which have caught the eye of the Israeli media, have also been important. A number of forces standing on the different platforms of Israel, have united around the concept of Israeli House.
DO THE ACTIVITIES OF ISRAELI HOUSE SOMEHOW DUPLICATE THE FUNCTIONS OF THE ISRAELI EMBASSY?
At the first glance, it may seem so, but in reality we cannot call it duplication. Operation of the Embassy and the activities of Israeli House fulfil each other. We are always ready for the cooperation with the diplomatic corps. In addition, establishing partnership with Israel thorough the diplomatic channels, as well as via civic organizations is already an approved form in the modern world. We serve for the same goal – to contribute to the bilateral collaboration and introduce Israel to friendly countries.
By Ketevan Kvaratskheliya