In an interview on Israel

Tell me about Start-Up Nation.

This is a new book which has become very successful in America, though it is less well-known in England. It is a book which seeks to explain the economic success of Israel. Israel has withstood the recent crunch, the recent depression, more successfully than other industrial societies and this book seeks to explain that. One of the things that the authors explain is the spirit of leadership and entrepreneurship which is part and parcel of the fact that most Israelis serve in the Israeli army. The regular army of Israel educates its draftees to a position of leadership so when they enter university they are already more adult, more experienced, more likely to be go-getters and they have more knowledge of technology. So I thought this was interesting because I think it’s a fact that many people are not aware of. And there is a flipside to this, which is that those elements in Israeli society that do not go into the army, namely the Arabs and the ultra-orthodox Jews, miss something important. They are the poorer elements of Israeli society and the fact that they do not go into the army, and have many children, exacerbates their position. This explains why the social gap in Israeli society grows by leaps and bounds from year to year. The ultra-orthodox don’t go into the army because it’s part of a political concession, given to them by successive governments who need their support in the Knesset. It’s a very controversial issue back home. These two poor elements make things worse by not participating in the army which contributes so much to the economic success of Israel. 

You are suggesting by your tone that the Arabs would be welcome in the Israeli army. Is that true? 

They wouldn’t dream of serving in the Israeli army!

Clearly. But would it be possible theoretically? 

Theoretically it would be possible because you have other cases of national minorities who serve in the army of the host country, such as the Japanese in World War II who fought the Germans and many other ethnic minorities – including Jews everywhere. But Israel has decided to submit to the demands of the Arabs that they not serve in the army. This book doesn’t deal with this exemption, this book deals with the army and the spirit of the army that is at least partially responsible for Israel’s amazing success in recent years. 

So what does Israel rely on economically?

High-tech, agriculture and, to a very small degree, on tourism, but high-tech is the real engine of growth.