14 Ways The UK Benefits From Israel

The top 14 ways in which the UK benefits from Israel, from investment, to research, to medicine and technology and beyond.

1. Israel provides one in seven medicines prescribed on the NHS

Via mirror.co.uk

Israeli pharmaceutical companies provide one in seven medicines prescribed by the NHS. Leading the way is Teva, one of the world’s largest drug firms specialising in making generic drugs affordable. In March 2014 Teva announced a £12 million investment in clinical development in the UK and a pledge of an additional £600,000 to support research into dementia. Teva also holds a patent on multiple drugs that treat multiple sclerosis and Parkinson's disease.

2. Israeli app Gett is making London taxi rides cheaper

gett.com

Black cabs in London are now offering new ‘off peak’ fares thanks to a partnership with Israeli transport app Gett. Remo Gerber, chief executive of Gett in the UK, said: “Some taxi apps charge more when they’re busy. We think this is unfair so we make fares cheaper when we’re quieter. Our passengers have the best of all worlds — a highly trained black cab driver, getting you home quickly and safely, using bus lanes to avoid the traffic, and a fare confirmed before the cab even turns up. No other taxi app offers all this in London.” The Israeli app has since been downloaded and used by over 4,000 black cab drivers in London, and has over 1 million UK downloads.

3. Israeli technology protects UK forces on deployment

Via eliteukforces.info

During his visit to Israel in 2014 Prime Minister Cameron praised UK-Israel defence cooperation, telling the Knesset, “Israel’s technology is protecting British and NATO troops in Afghanistan.”

4. Israeli investment creates thousands of UK jobs

Nimrod Saunders

Some 300 Israeli companies operate in the UK employing thousands of British workers. In March 2014 David Cameron, during a visit to Israel, welcomed £70 million in new investments from companies in the fields of technology, energy, pharmaceuticals and medical innovation. 25 Israeli companies set up or expanded in the UK in 2014. During a trade delegation in September 2015 Israeli tech companies announced £3 million of investment in South Wales with plans to create up to 100 jobs.

5. Israeli experts help British researchers develop responses to cyber threats

Via jpost.com

The University of Bristol, University College London, and The University of Kent are entering into partnerships with three leading Israeli academic institutions to work together against cyber threats. As part of a UK government sponsored programme established in 2015, UK academics will partner with Israeli researchers to tackle issues including identity management, privacy, and mobile and cloud security.

6. Israeli medical innovation helps British patients with knee, hip and back pain

Via totalhealth.co.uk

Innovative Israeli medical group AposTherapy has six clinics in the UK bringing its innovative non-surgical, drug-free treatment to patients with knee, hip and back pain. Two Israeli doctors have developed a biomechanical device that achieves improvements in as little as one month.

7. Israeli scientists are partnering with the UK to develop lifesaving stem cell therapies

Via timesofisrael.com

In February 2015 £3.2 million of funding was announced for joint UK-Israel medical and research projects to look in to the use of stem cells to develop therapies for heart disease, diabetes, liver disease, Parkinson’s disease and Multiple Sclerosis. PM David Cameron has said that ‘The United Kingdom is proud to be Israel’s partner in science’. This is part of BIRAX, the Britain Israel Research and Academic Exchange programme, a £10 million joint initiative of the British Embassy and the British Council in Israel to invest in world-leading research.

8. Israeli hi-tech gives UK global commerce the edge

Via rue89.nouvelobs.com

The UK-Israel Tech Hub, established by the British Embassy in Tel Aviv, helps economic growth in both countries by partnering British companies with the best of Israeli innovation. The goal is to create partnerships in which British companies help Israeli innovation go global, and Israeli innovation gives British companies a global competitive edge.

9. Israeli invention helps British paraplegic to walk the London Marathon

Via israel21c.org

The revolutionary Israeli ‘Rewalk’ invention helps paraplegic patients walk again. British paraplegic, Claire Lomas is the first person in the UK to try a ReWalk, which is a mostly aluminium exoskeleton, and her completion of the London Marathon was the first time it was used for such a distance and within the framework of a marathon.

10. Israeli app Waze helps British drivers beat the traffic

Via seanbailey.co.uk

Over 500,000 people in the UK are beating traffic jams thanks to Israeli app Waze. It enables users to give each other real-time traffic updates in order to give users the fastest route to their destination.

11. Israeli start-up helps Thames Water find leaks and save water

Via thameswater.co.uk

Thanks to Israeli start-up Takadu and other systems, Thames Water managed to achieve five annual leakage reduction targets in a row. London’s water system is monitored by the Tel Aviv based company which alerts the utility in London the moment there is a problem. According to Amir Peleg, Takadu's co-founder and chief executive “Almost instantly, we're able to detect, alert, locate, and basically inform the utility that there's something wrong."

12. Israeli technology drives British online betting

Via zwitserlandcasino.ch

Online gambling in the UK is powered by Israeli technology. Playtech provides software for online casinos, poker, bingo, sports betting and mobile gaming. The UK online gambling industry's value is worth over £2 billion.

13. Israel leads in foreign flotations on the London Stock Exchange

Via lseg.com

Israeli companies are putting their faith in the UK financial sector. In 2014 nine Israeli companies floated on the London Stock Exchange, more companies from anywhere other than the UK itself.

14. And invaluable Israeli products are found in every home and office in Britain

Monkey Business Images / Monkey Business - Fotolia

From Intel chips and flash drives to mobile phone components, Israeli innovations and products can be found in British homes and offices everywhere.