WHO and its funding

WHO, founded in 1948, is a specialized agency of the United Nations with a broad mandate to act as a coordinating authority on international health issues.
The main decision-making body at WHO is the annual World Health Assembly (WHA), attended by all member-states.
There is also the Executive Board (EB) comprising technically qualified persons from 34 countries, elected based on geographic representation from across the globe.

Reasons given by US President for stopping the funds to WHO-

WHO was being too lenient with China in the earliest days of the pandemic
WHO’s delay in declaring COVID-19 as Public Health Emergency of International Concern(PHEIC) and as a result failed to impose a travel ban on China
WHO must be held accountable for its inefficient working.

Do You Know?

USA is the biggest overall donor to WHO, contributing more than $400 million in 2019, roughly 15% of its budget.
China’s contribution to WHO for 2018-2019 was almost $76 million in assessed contributions and some $10 million in voluntary funding
The WHO has been appealing for more than $1 billion to fund operations against the COVID-19 pandemic

How is the WHO funded?

Assessed Contributions
- These are the dues countries pay in order to be a member of the Organization.
- The amount each Member State must pay is calculated relative to the country’s wealth and population.
- These contributions have declined, and now account for less than one-fourth of its funding.
Voluntary Contributions
- These come from Member States (in addition to their assessed contribution) or from other partners (organisations & individuals)
- They can range from flexible to highly earmarked.
- Top funders include Bill and Melinda Gates (USD 367.7 million), GAVI Vaccine Alliance, World Bank, Rotary International and the European Commission

Consequences of the US decision

Politicization of the Pandemic
Reduces WHO’s ability to coordinate the fight against pandemic in coming months
WHO’s significance will decline in long run if the shortfall in funding is not addressed

Impacts the Public Health prospects of Africa: Half of all spending of WHO was in Africa.
Impacts Health programs of WHO: A quarter of WHO budget went to polio eradication, 12% on access to healthcare, 5% on outbreak prevention and control
It provides further scope for China to increase its funding and influence in WHO
Signals US intention of retreating from Global affairs thus creating vacuum in Global Leadership role

Trend of US retreating from Global leadership role

Since Trump Presidency (2016 onwards), US has

Quit the U.N. Human Rights Council and U.N. cultural agency UNESCO
Pulled out of Paris accord and Iran nuclear deal
Cut funding for the U.N. Population Fund (UNFPA) and U.N. agency that helps Palestinian refugees (UNRWA)
Opposed a U.N. migration pact

Way Ahead

US should hold WHO accountable not by suspending its funding but by setting up actionable committee to look into lapses in WHO’s response during pandemic
Institutional Reforms in WHO

Increase the flexible funding
Reduction in bureaucratic complexity to ease the process
Reduce reliance on voluntary contributions and instead increase assessed contributions
Empowering the Executive board for quick decision making backed by scientific data
More Democratic functioning of the body – needs to insulate from global power politics

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INDIA and COVID19

INDIA IS SURPRISING THE WORLD - ALL INDIANS PLEASE TAKE A BOW !

I have been tracking various social media groups and Internet forums which have millions of users from all over the world. As expected, the only topic of discussion everywhere these days is: Corona.

While most of the discussions are mostly about precautions and updates, a significant number of users have also now started noticing the maturity with which India is handling this issue. What was till recently considered a third world nation, is now quickly gaining respect & recognition at the world stage.

Following are a few examples which illustrate how India is impressing the foreigners:-

1) Firstly, and most importantly, many are impressed with Indian Govt's quick measures & proactive initiatives even at such initial stages- Janta Curfew, Complete 21 days Lockdown, etc... The reason for this appreciation is that in all other countries in Europe and even USA, despite the rapid rise in cases, their respective govts had been ignoring the issue, and some were even taking it casually. Whereas India is one of the very few nations where Govt has jumped into action to tackle at root level itself. This has impressed many foreigners, especially Americans.

2) The strong measures like strict lockdown & police bandobast in India is being specially appreciated by Europeans. The reason here is that Europe is usually a highly democratic continent where emphasis is more on giving flexibility to people. So, they find it a bit strange when they see news visuals of Indian police forcefully chasing out violators from the streets during the curfew. In fact, Italians have been highly impressed with scenes where Indian policemen have lathi charged violators, because the Italians know the severity of this issue, and hence they feel such ruthless strictness by Indian police is fully justified, and is in the best interest of larger public.

3) Many, specially the Americans, are impressed with the calmness of Indians, who are not resorting to crazy hoarding of essential items despite a nationwide lockdown. For example, even now, most of the American stores are almost empty, and Americans are fighting against each other in stores over these issues & are on a Gun buying spree ! However, in India, everything seems to be running smoothly without any hoarding or shortages.

4) Almost the whole World is impressed with the innovative methods used by Indians to follow social distancing. For example, the circles & boxes drawn using rangoli powder to ensure decent distance between people in queues at groceries, ATMs etc.... .

5) The world is clearly noticing how Indians are utilising their skills of jugaad to solve these tough problems. For instance, PM Modi's idea of turning train coaches into ICU wards , creating 10,000 bed mobile hospital and sending them to all parts of India over railway, has taken many by surprise, because it is so simple yet so practical.

6) Low cost kits are developed by Indian Companies, Low cost ventilators developed by Mahindra company's mechanical engineers. All these show Indian engineers are also rising to the occasion to help the health sector, with these innovative & affordable solutions. Everyone from across the world have been highly appreciative of these, and are now encouraging their own engineers to follow suit. Many startup’s have sprung up to invent low cost solutions.

7) Public participation in India is something which has taken everyone by surprise. Probably because the usual perception about India in the west is that Indians are illiterate, careless, selfish, lazy etc. So, when they find Indians heeding to the leader's call for participation through different means like Janata curfew, cheering for health workers etc, so enthusiastically, it gives an impression that Indians really care for their nation, are serious about fighting this issue, etc.

8) The Indian PM floated a "PM Care Fund" and both Corporates like Tata & Reliance donating Crores and Individuals also donating Crores. No other World Leader has created such a fund or companies in those countries have donated on their own.

9) Last, but not the least. Finally, India is emerging as a new powerhouse, thanks to a strong & trustworthy leadership. The clarity and focus with which Indian PM is tackling this issue seriously, has already started receiving accolades from all over the World. During this global crisis, when China is acting like a cheat, Europe is down to its knees, and America is running like a headless chicken, the words from Indian PM, in all the recent summits have been heartwarming and inspiring confidence. In some ways, PM Modi is now taking the role of a global leader and bringing accolades to India, filling the vacuum, taking charge & guiding the world, just like how leaders like Abraham Lincoln had long ago filled leadership vacuum and inspired the world. This is something which rest of the world is also beginning to notice, and acknowledging the same.

Proud to be an Indian.

The Brain That Changes Itself Summary

The Brain That Changes Itself

Favorite quote from the author:

Your brain is amazing. At first sight, that grey, wrinkly blob might not look like much, but it’s responsible for everything you know and love about being human. It contains your memories, brings emotions and sensations, controls movements, and allows you to think and make decisions.

We are now learning more about neuroplasticity, or the brain’s ability to change. Previously, scientists thought of the brain as fixed when fully formed, then deteriorated as we age. But with the rise of neuroplasticity, we now know our brains can heal themselves from injury, change from experience, and regenerate even into old age.

Here are the 3 most amazing lessons from the book:

Your brain has an incredible talent of changing itself as needed through processes like unmasking.
Using your imagination can change your brain.
You can change your libido and sexual desires.

Are you ready to be astounded at how incredible the human brain is? Let’s dive in!

Lesson 1: The brain can change itself through things like unmasking.

Neuroplasticity is the ability of the brain to reform itself by making new neural connections throughout life. A catchy phrase used by Psychology teachers to describe this is “neurons that fire together wire together.” When two events happen at the same time, those neurons involved in the experience fire together. Thus they associate themselves with each other. As this connection becomes stronger, these neurons wire together.

Scientists thought for a long time that each area of the brain had a distinct function, and if that area got damaged, there was no getting that part back. Though some areas are responsible for specific roles, many often overlap and help one another. If one pathway becomes blocked, a secondary one is exposed and used instead. This new pathway grows stronger with repeated use in a process called unmasking.

A story of a woman named Cheryl Schiltz demonstrates this phenomenon. For years, she struggled with her balance because of a loss of the part of her brain responsible for balance. A neuroplasticity pioneer, Paul Bach-y-Rita, created a device called an accelerometer that sent balance signals through an electrode on her tongue. This stimulated the area of Schiltz’s brain responsible for balance. After using the device consistently, it “unmasked” a new pathway for balance. Schiltz could miraculously balance on her own.

Lesson 2: We can change our brains just with our imagination.

Just imagining what we want can make physical changes in the brain and body. An example of this is patients who experience phantom pain. This is the phenomenon where people who lose a limb experience pain that seems to come from the limb that doesn’t exist anymore. Once considered a psychological problem, phantom pain is now known to be a nervous system problem.

The theory for why the pain still happens is that the brain map for that missing limb is eager for input and sends growth factors to nearby neurons. With this theory, neuroplasticity researcher V. S. Ramachandran created a mirror box that showed the mirror image of the working limb so the brain would think the missing limb was moving and responding to input. This way, they could unlearn the phantom pain. It worked wonders for a patient experiencing severe phantom pain after losing his arm in a motorcycle accident. After using it for ten minutes a day for four weeks, the pain had disappeared.

Another way imagination can change our brain is through visualization. An experiment had two groups of beginning pianists. One group sat in front of the piano and visualized playing a sequence while the other practiced it for the same amount of time. When they mapped the subjects’ brains, scientists discovered that just doing mental practice resulted in the same physical changes in their motor systems as the ones who actually practiced. In other words, they had approximately the same skills. Imagining doing something and actually doing it aren’t very different to the brain.

You can also use imagination to strengthen your muscles. Another study had one group exercise by doing finger contractions over four weeks, while another just imagined doing the muscle contractions. At the end of the four weeks, the ones who actually did the exercise increased muscle strength by 30 percent, but get this–the ones who just visualized it increased their strength by 22 percent! And they didn’t even have to do anything.

Lesson 3: Your libido and sexual preferences are plastic and can change with experience.

Brain plasticity doesn’t just help us improve and recover lost skills; it also changes our sex drive. The hypothalamus, which controls instinctive behaviors like sex is plastic, meaning that our sexual inclinations can change.

The sexual and romantic inclinations we learn in our critical age become wired and continue to impact us for our whole lives, but we can continue to learn and change sexual preferences later in life.

We see this in those who view pornography, where latent sexual preferences from childhood are sometimes unmasked then subsequently strengthened as this inherent desire is fulfilled. This can lead to new patterns or even a new kind of sexuality over time.

People also tend to develop a tolerance for pornography and seek out more aggressive imagery. Combining that aggressive imagery with sexual release connects the associated neurons. Those networks strengthen with repetition. This explains why the industry has seen increasing popularity in sadomasochistic themes.

The Brain That Changes Itself Review

I feel like I was only able to skim the surface on this fascinating book. The author sets out to teach us about the wonders of neuroplasticity in a way that we non-neuroscientists can understand it. The Brain that Changes Itself will empower you by helping you realize you can change and improve your brain even in adulthood.

Who would I recommend The Brain That Changes Itself summary to?

The 19-year-old fascinated with psychology that is thinking about studying neuroscience, the 48-year-old who wants to help her mother that suffered a debilitating stroke, and anyone with a brain!

Israel with Industry 4.0 Revolution

Israeli startups are greasing the wheels of the Fourth Industrial Revolution

How did a tiny country without a significant manufacturing sector become so important to the Fourth Industrial Revolution – and how will that help us all?

Close to 1,000 people are converging on Tel Aviv for Israel Industry 4.0 Week starting February 24. And exactly why should you care?

Because even if you never set foot in a factory or power plant, what happens there affects you.

Call it the Fourth Industrial Revolution or simply I4, Industry 4.0 is greasing the wheels of a shift from “far and cheap” to “local and smart” manufacturing anywhere.

While the Third Industrial Revolution introduced technologies such as robotics, 4.0 innovations digitize, simplify, connect, safeguard and generally improve every step of production.

The benefits of I4 technology are many: more jobs, higher productivity, better oversight and quality, less pollution and faster delivery — without costing you more.

Incredibly, Israel earns a big piece of the $90 billion I4 market pie. This tiny country in the Middle East ranks third in I4 venture investments (after the US and China) and second in early-stage investments.

“Israel, as an innovative ecosystem well connected to global tech challenges and needs, has become a strong player in Industry 4.0, with increased attention from global players,” according to a report from Start-Up Nation Central, which is sponsoring Industry 4.0 Week with Grove Ventures and Deloitte.

Israeli I4-related startups number about 260. That’s nearly 70% more than in 2014, report author Yuval Engelstein tells ISRAEL21c. And the number of investors in this sector has more than doubled to 104 in five years.

“We’ve hosted dozens of multinationals from diverse industries including chemicals, materials science, fashion, food and beverages, retail, and energy that expressed interest in Israeli Industry 4.0 solutions,” said Engelstein, Start-Up Nation Central’s Industry 4.0 and smart mobility lead analyst.

People, machines, logistics

I4 is not about replacing people with machines. It’s about enhancing how both do their jobs.

“Manufacturing is physical — a combination of people and machines and logistics,” says Natan Linder, the Israeli CEO of Boston-based Tulip.

“Until now, new technology has been focused on automation. But it was not taking humans along for the ride.”

Employees in sectors such as sales and finance have many apps and software tools to assist them (think Monday or SalesForce). Tulip brings that ability to factory managers with a no-coding system they can use on the spot to build apps for improving production-line workflow.

“You have to get to the point where software is driving manufacturing,” says Linder. “In an age of customization and immediacy, it’s a complex problem to build things on time and well.”

The World Economic Forum’s Centre for the Fourth Industrial Revolution (C4IR) recently welcomed Israel as a partner in shaping the trajectory of the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

“As the ‘Start-Up Nation,’ Israel has already proven itself as a global leader in technology innovation. Now, as part of the C4IR network, it will extend this leadership to the global governance of key emerging technologies such as artificial intelligence, autonomous vehicles and precision medicine,” said Murat Sönmez, head of C4IR.

9 Industry 4.0 subsectors

The Start-Up Nation Central report divides the Israeli I4 landscape into nine categories: operations optimization, cybersecurity, sensing and imaging, inspection and testing, IoT platforms and connectivity, additive (3D printing) manufacturing, supply chain, robotics and maintenance.

Operations optimization is the largest I4 subsector in Israel. About 60 companies are innovating technologies to increase yield, decrease the consumption of raw materials or energy, and enable a faster time to market.

One example is Grid4C, whose plug-and-play AI software analyzes billions of meter readings at the grid edge to deliver millions of daily predictions for energy providers, their customers and the utility grid.

Seebo created an AI software solution to analyze production-line sensor data and offer suggestions for process optimization.

It originally developed advanced sensors for video-game controllers. Pivoting to I4 was a wise move: Among Seebo’s clients are P&G, ChemChina and Nestlé.

Preventing cyberattacks and machinery malfunctions

The second largest subsector is industrial cybersecurity.

Some 34 startups in this area “frequently serve as an entry point into Industry 4.0 for manufacturers as they try to protect their data and connected systems from hackers,” according to the report.

Industrial cybersecurity firms that raised the most funding between 2014 and 2018 are Claroty, Armis, ThetaRay, CyberX and Radiflow.

Tel Aviv-based Radiflow and the Fraunhofer Institute of Optronics, System Technologies and Image Exploitation in Germany are developing machine-learning and artificial-intelligence techniques to determine whether abnormal behavior on industrial automation networks indicates a cyberattack.

Start-Up Nation Central counts 16 Israeli companies that forecast or find machinery glitches that could damage the machines, the products — and ultimately, sales.

Examples include: 3DSignals, which monitors industrial machines using acoustics; Augury, which uses the Internet of Things and artificial intelligence to predict machinery faults for clients including Hershey and Heineken; and Iguazio, which uses sensors, data analysis and AI to detect signals of impending equipment malfunctions in real time.

VocalZoom recently launched groundbreaking “Autonomous Sensors” that use contactless, vibration-based sensor technology with built-in data processing to monitor the health of any industrial equipment — whether hot, wet, small, moving or rotating.

Rising investment in Israeli I4 R&D

Because I4 doesn’t lend itself to one-size-fit-all solutions, Engelstein doesn’t predict lucrative exits in the I4 sector like we’ve seen in auto-tech — such as Intel’s $15.3 billion buyout of Jerusalem-based Mobileye.

As Tulip’s Linder puts it, “There is no Microsoft or Google in this space, and I don’t think there ever will be because manufacturing is so big and varied.”

Nevertheless, investment in Israeli I4 startups jumped from $413 million in 2018 to $650 million in 2019.

That figure includes two “mega rounds” — $110 million for Fabric and $109 million for Vayyar.

Fabric (formerly CommonSense Robotics) tailors technologies that allow automated micro-fulfillment centers to be embedded in cities, closer to customers.

Vayyar’s 4D radar imaging sensors see through walls and objects to track and map everything happening in an environment in real time, without cameras or privacy concerns.

One of many Vayyar use cases is helping robots detect where people are in the factory, to avoid safety incidents and reduce machine down-time.

Industry 4.0 incubators opening across Israel

Israel’s first Industry 4.0 incubator, Let-Lab, opened in 2018 in Nazareth Illit under license of the Israel Innovation Authority (IIA). It’s run by the Ham-Let Group, a Tel Aviv-based global manufacturer of valves, fittings and hoses.

Less than two years later, Israel now has eight Industry 4.0 accelerators and incubators, plus three I4 entrepreneurship programs.

Some are run in cooperation with foreign companies. InfraLab in Haifa is operated by Italian energy company Enel and Israeli infrastructure giant Shikun & Binui. PMatX in Yavneh is a collaboration between Germany-based Merck pharmaceutical company and US-based semiconductor maker Flex.

The IIA is soon opening the I4 Valley incubator in Carmiel with local corporate partners Wipro Givon, Kusto (Tambour), Keter Plastic, Trellidoor, Flying Cargo and Klil.

The IIA’s parent body, the Ministry of Economy, is setting up an Institute for Advanced Manufacturing to focus on robotics, digitization and IoT; and a Center for Resource Efficiency focused on optimizing production of energy, raw materials and water.

Israeli startups also benefit from the R&D centers, corporate venture arms and open innovation platforms established in Israel by about 50 global companies in the Industry 4.0 sector.

Updating kibbutz industries

Israeli I4 technologies are meant primarily for foreign businesses because Israel has only 22,000 registered factories.

However, Engelstein says local I4 startups and factories really need each other.

“Israeli manufacturers can benefit from the most advanced Industry 4.0 technologies, tailor-made to their specific needs, cost-effective, faster and more agile. On the other hand, Israeli Industry 4.0 startups can benefit from simpler testing for their products, the experience of working in a real factory, easier access to external funding at an early stage and the chance to start earning.”

A case in point is a collaboration announced earlier this month between Seebo (see above) and the dairy division of Israeli food group Tnuva.

Another place this is happening is on the kibbutz.

In the old days, kibbutzim were agricultural communes. Today, 250 of Israel’s 270 kibbutzim earn income from manufacturing.

“These are mostly traditional industries producing plastic, rubber, metal, fertilizer or food,” says Rafi Nevo, head of innovation and entrepreneurship for the Kibbutz Industries Association.

Sales from kibbutz factories in the past year reached a record high of $13.6 billion. To continue that growth, they need smart technologies to keep production onshore, modernize processes and increase output.

“We are helping them get to know and implement Industry 4.0 advancements,” Nevo tells ISRAEL21c.

Sensors, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, business intelligence, computer vision, data collection and analysis, and even collaborative robots (“cobots”) are starting to help kibbutz industries reach greater overall productivity.

A countrywide phenomenon

Engelstein says Start-Up Nation Central will soon host a roundtable event in Jerusalem for Israeli manufacturers and representatives from the Ministry of Economy and IIA. “We’ll try to learn how to connect better between Israeli industry and startups.”

Start-Up Nation Central established an Israel Industry 4.0 Community in 2018. II4 facilitates online and offline business opportunities and strategic alliances among local innovators and global financers and industry leaders.

Unlike some high-tech ecosystems clustered in the Tel Aviv area, I4 startups are spread across Israel. It’s therefore a sector that drives employment for diverse populations.

In the southern city of Beersheva, Siraj Technologies specializes in Industrial Internet of Things connectivity solutions and is headed by Arab co-CEOs.

Other examples are Hoopo on Kibbutz Glil Yam near Herzliya (supply chain); Cybord on the religious moshav Bnei Re’em in south-central Israel (inspection and testing); Ayyeka in Jerusalem (operation optimization); EZMems in Netanya (sensing and imaging); and XJet in Rehovot (additive manufacturing).

The Start-Up Nation Central report points out that many of the entrepreneurs starting these companies gained experience in sensors, image and video processing, big data, algorithms and real-time analytics technologies during their military service.

“This knowledge is utilized later to either start or seek employment in companies which utilize non-military applications of the technologies. Industry 4.0 is one of the more attractive sectors to exploit this experience,” says Engelstein.

Israel Industry 4.0 Week will give them a platform to create greater awareness among Israeli and overseas investors and multinationals “that Israel is a powerhouse in 4.0 and if they’re searching for technology to improve manufacturing they need to come to Israel,” he concludes.

By Abigail Klein Leichman

Why Israel has the most technologically advanced military on Earth

In 1950, just two years after the state of Israel was founded, the country’s first commercial delegation set off for South America.

Israel desperately needed trading partners. Unlike its Arab adversaries, Israel did not have natural resources to fund its economy. There was no oil or minerals. Nothing.

The delegation held a couple of meetings but was mostly met with laughs. The Israelis were trying to sell oranges, kerosene stove tops and fake teeth. For countries like Argentina, which grew its own oranges and was connected to the electrical grid, the products were pretty useless.

It’s hard to imagine this is what Israeli exports looked like a mere 67 years ago. Today, Israel is a high-tech superpower and one of the world’s top weapons exporters with approximately $6.5 billion in annual arms sales.

Since 1985, for example, Israel is the world’s largest exporter of drones, responsible for about 60 percent of the global market, trailed by the US, whose market share is under 25 percent. Its customers are everywhere — Russia, South Korea, Australia, France, Germany and Brazil.

In 2010, for example, ﬁve NATO countries were ﬂying Israeli drones in Afghanistan. How did this happen? How did Israel, a country not yet even 70 years old, become a superpower with one of the most technologically advanced militaries in the world that is changing the way modern wars are fought?

The answer, I believe, is a combination of a number of national characteristics unique to Israel.

First, despite Israel’s small size, about 4.5 percent of its GDP is spent on research and development, almost twice the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development average. Of that amount, about 30 percent goes to products of a military nature. By comparison, only 2 percent of German R&D and 17 percent of US R&D is for the military.

Another major contribution is the culture of innovation and creativity in Israel. Israelis are more willing to take risks than other nations. They get this from their compulsory military service during which they are tasked, at a young age, to carry out missions often with deadly consequences.

While Israeli 19-year-olds embark on operations behind enemy lines, their Western counterparts can be found in the safety of their college dormitories.

Lastly, Israel has been in a perpetual state of conflict since its inception, fighting a war almost every decade. This reality, of having your back against the wall, sharpens the mind. It forces Israelis to be creative and come up with innovative ways and weapons to survive.

This is the Israel story …

Robotic border patrols

The Guardium is a part of a new category of robotic weapons known as Unmanned Ground Vehicles or UGVs. Israel is the first country in the world using these robots to replace soldiers on missions like border patrols.

Already, Guardium UGVs are deployed along Israel’s border with Syria in the north and the Gaza Strip in the south.

The Guardium is based on a Tomcar dune-buggy-like vehicle and equipped with a range of sensors, cameras and weapons. It can be driven by a soldier sitting in a command center miles away or receive a pre-designated route for its patrol, making it completely autonomous.

An IDF unmanned ground vehicle, called a Guardium, patrols the border with the Gaza Strip.IDF

The increasing use of robots by the Israel Defense Forces is part of a larger strategy to minimize risk to soldiers when possible. In addition, soldiers require breaks, food and water. All a Guardium needs is a full tank of gas. Other UGVs in use by the IDF include the Segev, which is based on a Ford F-350 pickup truck.

Facing terrorists who use tunnels to infiltrate into Israel from places like the Gaza Strip, Israel is also relying on UGVs like robotic snakes to slither into underground passageways and enemy headquarters. The robots will then map out the structures, giving soldiers an accurate picture of a battle area before the place is stormed.

The same is happening at sea. Israeli defense contractor Rafael has developed an unmanned patrol ship called Protector which is being used by Israel to protect its strategic ports and patrol the country’s long Mediterranean coastline.

The Arrow anti-missile program

In 2000, the Israeli air force received its ﬁrst operational Arrow missile battery, making Israel the ﬁrst country in the world with an operational system that could shoot down incoming enemy missiles.

The idea to create the Arrow was born in the mid-1980s after US President Ronald Reagan floated his Star Wars plan and asked America’s allies to partner in developing systems that could protect the country from Soviet nuclear missiles.

The Arrow was a revolutionary idea. Due to Israel’s small size and lack of territory, all ballistic missiles deployed in the region — by Syria, Iraq and Iran — can reach anywhere within the country and pose a strategic and possibly even existential threat. Israel, the developers argued, needed a system that could shoot down enemy missiles over neighboring countries and provide overall protection for the tiny Jewish state.

The program had its ups and downs but got a huge boost in funding after the First Gulf War in 1991, when Saddam Hussein ﬁred 39 Scud missiles into Israel, paralyzing the country and forcing millions of Israelis into bomb shelters with their gas masks.

The Arrow was just the beginning. Today, Israel has the Arrow, which is partially funded by the United States, to intercept long-range ballistic missiles, David’s Sling to intercept medium-range rockets and cruise missiles as well as the combat-proven Iron Dome, which has intercepted hundreds of Katyusha rockets fired from the Gaza Strip in recent years.

Israel is the only country in the world that has used missile defense systems in times of war. These systems do more than just save lives. They also give the country’s leadership “diplomatic maneuverability,” the opportunity to think and strategize before retaliating against rocket attacks.

While other countries have also invested in missile defense, none has created a multi-tier architecture like Israel.

Mini spy satellites

In 1988, Israel launched its first spy satellite into space, gaining membership in the exclusive club of just eight nations with independent satellite-launching capabilities.

From the beginning, there were those who doubted Israel was capable of developing, building and launching its own satellite, but in the nearly 30 years since that day, it has grown into a satellite superpower, now operating eight different spy satellites in space.

This is a critical capability considering the threats Israel faces from countries like Iran, which it still suspects is planning one day to build a nuclear weapon.

Israel has shied away from building big satellites and instead designs what are known as “mini satellites,” which weigh about 300 kilograms (661 pounds) in comparison to America’s 25-ton satellites.

Israel’s spy satellites are split into two categories.

A model of Israel’s Tecsar satellite, which uses radar instead of a camera to create high-quality imagesIAI

Most of Israel’s satellites come with advanced high-resolution cameras like the Ofek-9, launched in 2010, which can discern objects as small as 50 centimeters (20 inches) from hundreds of miles away.

Israel’s other category of satellites are known as the TecSar. These satellites use a synthetic aperture sensor, basically a radar system that can create high-resolution images at almost the same quality as a regular camera.

The advantage this technology provides Israel is tremendous. A camera cannot see through clouds or fog, but radars can work in all weather conditions and can even see through camouﬂage nets. What this means is that Israel has the ability to track its enemies and gather intelligence on them at all times of the day and through rain, fog or clouds.

Israel’s success in developing state-of-the-art satellites has caught the world’s attention. In 2005, the French entered a strategic partnership with an Israeli company to develop a satellite, and in 2012, Italy ordered a reconnaissance satellite, paying $182 million. Singapore and India have also reportedly purchased Israeli satellites over the years.

Drones

It is referred to in Israel as the “drone that can reach Iran.” The Heron TP is Israel’s largest unmanned aerial vehicle with an 85-foot wingspan, the same as a Boeing 737 airliner. It can stay airborne for 24 hours and carry a 1-ton payload.

While Israel doesn’t openly admit it, the Heron TP is believed to also be capable of launching air-to-surface missiles.

Israel was the first country in the world to operate drones in combat operations. Its first use of drones was in 1969, when the Israel Defense Forces flew toy airplanes with cameras glued to their bellies along the Suez Canal to spy on Egypt. In 1982, it flew its first combat drone, called Scout, in Lebanon, where they played a key role in locating and neutralizing Syrian anti-aircraft missile systems.

A Heron TP drone takes off in Israel.IAI

That operation caught the world’s attention, and in 1986, Israel supplied the US Navy with its first drone, known as the Pioneer. A few years later, one Pioneer made history when it ﬂew over a group of Iraqi soldiers during the First Gulf War. The soldiers saw the aircraft, took off their white undershirts and waved them in the air. It was the first time in history that a military unit had surrendered to a robot.

Israel’s drones have revolutionized the modern battlefield. They cost a fraction of a manned fighter jet — some as little as a few million dollars — and participate today in every single operation conducted by the IDF.

Drones give soldiers the ability to make calculated decisions before invading territory or storming enemy compounds.

Before Israel bombs a building in the Gaza Strip, for example, it always has a drone in the air to ensure that civilians are not inside. They also reportedly fly almost daily over Lebanon, tracking fighters for Hezbollah, which is believed to have about 130,000 missiles capable of striking Israel.

The top-secret tank

To this day, the Merkava tank is one of Israel’s most top-secret projects. It is said to be one of the most lethal and protected tanks in the world, and its construction started out of pure necessity — the United Kingdom and other countries refused to sell Israel tanks. So in the 1970s, it started to build its own.

The newest model — known as the Merkava Mk-4 — is the most impressive. It can reach speeds of 40 mph and comes with a new modular armor kit, meaning that the tank can be ﬁtted with the armor it needs based on the speciﬁc mission it is heading into.

A Merkava tank during a drill with IDF soldiers in northern IsraelIDF

An area, for example, known to be full of anti-tank missile squads requires heavy armor, while an operation without the threat of anti-tank missiles means less. This also allows tank crews to replace damaged pieces of armor on the battleﬁeld without having to bring the full tank back to a repair shop inside Israel.

In 2012, the Merkava underwent its biggest change yet when a new system — called Trophy — was installed on the tank. Trophy is an active-protection system, basically a personal missile defense system for an individual tank.

Trophy uses a miniature radar to detect incoming anti-tank missiles and then ﬁres a cloud of countermeasures — basically metal pellets — to intercept them. The radar also interfaces with the tank’s battle management system. This means that once a missile launch is detected, the coordinates of the enemy squad that ﬁred the missile are immediately obtained, allowing the tank to retaliate quickly and accurately.

Yaakov Katz is co-author of “The Weapon Wizards: How Israel Became a High-Tech Military Superpower” and editor-in-chief of the Jerusalem Post.