Tag: General Assembly

On August 6, 2019, the Israeli-Palestinian Chamber of Commerce and Industry held its yearly general assembly, which was attended by staff members, board members, as well as many guests from government offices, NGOs, private businesses the industry sector. During the meeting, the staff introduced the main activities of the IPCC throughout 2018-2019 to the general assembly, and procedural matters were run by Chairman David Simcha.

Following the introduction, Colonel Hatib Mansour, a 30-year veteran of the Israel Defense Forces, mainly in COGAT (Coordination of Government Activities in the Territories), addressed the general assembly as the keynote speaker of the meeting. COL Mansour gave a review of the current financial situation in the West Bank and Gaza, shared from his experience in heading large scale development operations in the Palestinian territories and spoke about the challenges and potential of cooperation between the Israeli and Palestinian markets.

On March 6, 2016, the Israeli-Palestinian Chamber of Commerce held its periodic board meeting. Chairman David Simcha commenced the meeting by introducing the topics to be addressed in the meeting as well as the guest speaker, Knesset member, Avi Dichter. Avi Dichter is a former Minister of Internal Security and Head of Shabak (Israeli Security Agency). In his address to the attendees of the Board Meeting, Dichter discussed the magnitude of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, contending that the conflict is not so severe compared to other regional issues occurring in the Middle East. He discussed the events of the Arab Spring, which began in December 2010, and their repercussions, explaining how these events marked more complex situations to recover from than the issues that Israelis and Palestinians seek to dissolve.

Following Avi Dichter’s lecture, the Peres Center for Peace presented its results of a research project regarding the moving expenses of Palestinian imports and exports through Israel. Government ministries and economic organizations such as the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ministry of Economics, the Federation of Israeli Chambers of Commerce, and the Manufactures Association, also discussed their recent projects and activities and gave their input on the economic situation between Israelis and Palestinians. The Israeli-Palestinian Chamber of Commerce CEO, Baruch Mazor, summarized the activities of the IPCC in 2015, emphasizing the Chamber’s ability to remain a point of contact for anyone seeking to do business with the Palestinians.  

When asked about possible propositions for the Chamber, attendees proposed that the IPCC embark on a project to gather and publish statistics pertaining to trade between Israelis and the Palestinian Authority. There was also a proposal of looking into establishing a Free Trade Zone between the Israelis and the Palestinians in the area of Ariel. The IPCC was pleased to receive such suggestions and will look into developing these ideas. 

On the 27th October 2013, a crucial meeting took place for the Israeli-Palestinian Chamber of Commerce. On the first plane, the General Assembly of the Chamber was created as composed of approximately thirty of the people involved in its activities. In this meeting participated varied relevant Governmental Ministries Representatives, the Representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, of the Regional Cooperation Ministry, of the Israeli Economic Organizations, of the Manufacturers Association, the Union of Commercial Chambers, representatives from the Private Sector, the Peres Center for Peace, the ECF and multiple other businesspeople.

The meeting took place on behalf of the purpose to retarget the activities of the Chamber in the recent period. The main objective is to place the Chamber as the focal point of all those–both individuals and state and non-state organizations who deal with the Palestinians in the economic and business sphere, at any possible level of the trade relations between Israel and the Palestinians. As well, a concise and detailed review of the Chamber’s activities conducted thus far has been made at the meeting and, most importantly, the calendar of activities of the year 2014 was defined at the same time. 

The new CEO, Baruch Mazor, was chosen and entered his office term immediately after. And David Simcha, the President of IPCC, has stressed the importance of specifically addressing the issues that strengthen the Israeli side of the relations vis-à-vis the Palestinian side.

This constituted an extremely fruitful meeting that, in a way, has served as a cornerstone in the Chamber’s lead, activities and orientation given the change of the office head. 

Objectives of the Chamber

In the business relations-building process the Chamber never leaves behind its central emphasis on developing the overall the relations between the Israelis and Palestinians. However, it is first and foremost important for the IPCC to focus on first serving the interests of the Israeli side vis-à-vis the Palestinian one, in their trading and commercial activities. This has been one of the most highlighted objectives of the organization.

The second target of the Chamber, which is already taking place, is the quick shift towards being the focal point structure of the multi-organizational business network within the Palestinian sector. We constantly work on being the central body that coordinates the majority of activities that have to do with the promotion of business relations with the Palestinians. We are the focal point for a vast range of active organizations in the field as the promoters of their operational plans.

The Chamber will continue to be the body in charge of the removal of obstacles, attempting to resolve the logistical and procedural problems that cross-border dynamics face; namely, permits, passages, infrastructure, and more. In short, we serve as a main catalyze body, a block opener, to the business relations amongst the two partners.