Bethel Finance news:
AUSTRALIAN importers have hit out at the Greens' support for a boycott of Israel, accusing the party of promoting a self-defeating agenda that could potentially block environmentally friendly imports and lead to thousands of local job losses.
Tal Brod, chief financial officer of the Australian arm of the Israeli-owned drip irrigation manufacturer Netafim, said the Greens boycott policy was short-sighted. "Most of the leading technologies are coming from Israel when it comes to renewable energies and water technology," Mr Brod said. "Netafim is a leading company in renewable energy globally, so it sounds like the Greens are shooting themselves in the foot."
He also questioned where an Israeli boycott would end, given so many local companies rely on Israeli technology for products used by Australians every day.
Telstra and Vodafone use Israeli billing system technology; global IT firm Intel's biggest development centre is in Israel; while many leading brands in solar, wind and water innovations and IT use about 90 per cent Israeli products during manufacture.
Israeli company Better Place -- led locally by former Victorian state Labor MP Evan Thornley -- is at the forefront of the introduction of electric cars in Australia.
"Where does it end? Mr Brod asked. "Even if you have American companies they are using Israeli technology and buy a lot of their products from Israel. Basically, the Greens would have to boycott the whole renewable energy industry . . . and that would mean that Australian jobs are lost." The Israeli government's Trade Commissioner, Ehud Gonen, said such a boycott would jeopardise Australia's membership of the World Trade Organisation.
Mr Gonen said trade links between Australia and Israel were worth about $1 billion a year, with two-thirds of the trade consisting of Australian imports of Israeli products and expertise.
He also said that under the WTO charter, Australia was forbidden from discriminating against goods imported from another member -- a fact backed up by Trade Minister Craig Emerson.
"Of course we know that Australia will respect its obligation. We think this boycott is illegal and it's not going to happen," Mr Gonen said. "I take this, from a symbolic point of view, as very negative. But practically it makes no sense."
Mark Miller, the managing director of Greenearth Energy, said his company recently formed a partnership with Israeli companies Metrolight and Zenith Solar to distribute their cutting-edge green products in Australia.
''A boycott would be most unfortunate," Mr Miller said. "Israel has a long history of being innovative with respect to both energy and water . . . I would find this most unfortunate if we are politicising the development of renewable technologies that would give us a better environment and a cleaner future," Mr Miller said.
The Weekend Australian yesterday spoke to a number of companies who import Israeli goods and technology, but many did not want to be quoted for fear their products would be boycotted.
The chief executive of the NSW Jewish Board of Deputies, Vic Alhadeff, said: "A boycott could well hurt the very people the Greens think such a boycott will help."
Additional reporting: James Madden
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