From the #BDSFail Desk
“We like to have our finger on the pulse of everything regarding new technologies and I know that in this Israel is a world leader, so we are interested in Israeli developments. I’m glad that through our connection and friendship the opportunity was created for this unique visit here by the Israeli delegation to Grupo Carso,” Slim was quoted saying by the Mexican media....After the conference, in a gesture that did not go unnoticed, Slim Helú, his youngest son Marco Antonio Slim Domit, chairman of Grupo Financiero Inbursa, and son-in-law Arturo Elías Ayub, Telmex’s Chief Officer of Relations with Investors, visited Peres at his hotel suite. Elias posted an image of the four on his Twitter account.
Pope Francis met Monday with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a closed-door meeting at the Vatican to discuss matters that are highly political and an illustration of the pontiff's increasing willingness to weigh in on global affairs.
President Shimon Peres secretly addressed 29 foreign ministers from Arab nations last month,Yediot Aharonot reported Sunday - and they applauded him after his speech about Israel, a nuclear Iran and the fight against radical Islam.Peres spoke two weeks ago to the Gulf States Security Summit in Abu Dhabi from his Jerusalem office via livestream, according to the report. Peres allegedly only agreed to appear if his presence was kept strictly under wraps.Foreign Ministers present at the event included representatives from Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Oman, Kuwait, and Yemen. Other officials present included high-ranking representatives from other Muslim countries - including Indonesia, Malaysia, and Bangladesh. Saudi Arabia was represented by the son of the Saudi monarch.The meeting was facilitated by top United Nations envoys, including Terje Larsen, the Under-Secretary General to the UN, and Martin Indyk, the US Special Envoy for Israeli-Palestinian Negotiations.
Israel is the only non-EU country to have been asked to join Horizon 2020 as a full partner, and is expected to pay in €600 million, while receiving €900m back in research grants and investment.
Also, the largest cruise ship ever built in Europe, the Fantasia, is docked at Haifa today. Looks like it will be visiting regularly.