Visit To Israel: David Cameron In Israel As Rockets Rain In From Gaza

by Benson Agoha

Prime Minister, David Cameron started a two day state visit to Israel and the Palestinian territories in an effort to assist the peace effort.

In a statement released by Downing Street, the PM's office said the visit will focus on the opportunities that peace would bring.

* Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyhu listens as PM David Cameron makes a point.

The statement said the Prime Minister will use the visit to discuss how Britain can "strengthen ties between the UK and Israel, and with the Palestinian territories", with the aim of promoting economic growth and creating jobs for all.

The business visit is also aimed, the government said, at exploring ways to forge a stronger partnership on technology, innovation and research, and to link up UK and Israeli companies, and creating hundreds of new jobs at home to help ensure a "better and more financially secure future for Britain and for hardworking people."

Downing Street said the government is set to roll out its successful Tech Hub worldwide, to help entrepreneurs and innovators secure new investment and new commercial opportunities elsewhere in the world.

To achieve the government's aim of maximising opportunities for closer collaboration on research and development in Israel, the Prime Minister is sett out "£5 million for collaboration between the Technology Strategy Board and the Israeli Industry Centre for R&D – Matimop - to support innovative Israeli and UK companies who are working to bring new tech products and medical devices to market."

There will also be a £1 million joint funding from UK and Israeli government to expand research into new areas of regenerative medicine among others.

In exchange, there will a number of new FDI from Israeli government in new areas of regnerative medicine and energy.

But as the PM begins his state visit to Israel, severals rockets attacks have been unleashed on Israel from the Gaza areas since Wednesday, and attacks have continued on Thursday.

The attacks prompted urgent response from the Israeli Defence Forces which pressed the "Code Red" button and sounded the sirens in Israeli communities.

The IDF said Hamas and the Islamic Jihad which it said owned the large catche of arms intercepted in an Iranian vessel a week ago, are responsible.

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