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Israel’s Entrepreneurial and Innovative Power Can Help Overcome This Crisis
An aerial view shows vehicles on fire as rockets are launched from the Gaza Strip, in Ashkelon, southern Israel October 7, 2023. REUTERS/Ilan Rosenberg
Numerous testimonies clearly illustrate that crises and catastrophic events — and the period of uncertainty that often follows them — are the most opportune times to abandon a “business as usual” approach, and to opt instead for innovation and entrepreneurship as a lever for renewal and growth.
Recent crises such as global pandemics, financial crises, and wars demonstrate that the most effective way to navigate successfully in crisis situations is through entrepreneurial thinking, which stimulates creative solutions, the development of new products, and the establishment of innovative processes.
What is entrepreneurship or entrepreneurial thinking?
Some define it as the ability to identify or create high-potential opportunities to increase existing value through smart utilization of resources. Others call it the relentless pursuit of opportunities that require resources not readily available. Regardless how it is defined, entrepreneurship is clearly the driving force behind the tremendous growth of the economy and technology in recent decades.
In the rapidly changing landscape of the 21st century, economic growth and prosperity are propelled by the ability to innovate and foster entrepreneurship. In the contemporary business world, innovation serves as a means to create value. Over the past decades, entrepreneurial start-ups have emerged as major drivers of global markets.
A defining characteristic of these start-ups is their remarkable ability to grow rapidly and disruptively innovate. A brief glance at global statistics in the field of start-ups reveals that there are currently around 150 million worldwide, with approximately 50 million more added each year. This averages to about 137,000 new startups established every day. While only about 10% survive, the numbers speak for themselves.
In rare cases, a brilliant idea is enough to spark a process that will turn it into a genuine solution to a pressing problem. But without courage, perseverance, determination, and true belief in the goal, even the best ideas are unlikely to evolve into successful products or processes. These attributes are not only the most prominent characteristics of the successful entrepreneur but are also essential for overcoming and emerging strengthened from crises.
The strong connection between crisis management and entrepreneurship has proven itself throughout history, particularly in recent decades. Examples like the recovery of Japan and Tokyo from the devastation of World War II highlight the role of entrepreneurs in the revitalization process. Visionaries like Konosuke Matsushita, founder of Panasonic; and Soichiro Honda, founder of Honda, represent the entrepreneurial spirit that drove the recovery. Emphasis on innovative production methods, commitment to quality and revolutionary approaches to mobility and transportation contributed significantly to the revival of Tokyo’s industrial base and laid the foundations for Japan’s economic resurgence after the war, illustrating how entrepreneurship can act as a powerful force for recovery and change.
Another example is the recovery of New Orleans after Hurricane Katrina in 2005, which turned large parts of the city into islands of devastation. Economic and social entrepreneurs were the driving forces behind the city’s recovery, rebuilding social and community infrastructure. Social initiatives such as the Make It Right Foundation sought not only to provide housing options but also to address systemic issues and create sustainable solutions, focusing on the community’s recovery. Initiatives that included unique business models, such as Community Land Trusts and public-private partnerships, highlighted the role of entrepreneurship not only in the reconstruction of buildings but also in the reconstruction of the community itself. The establishment of the Idea Village accelerator, which supported local entrepreneurs, also contributed to the city’s recovery by fostering economic resilience and creating a sense of community capability in the rebuilding process.
The recent COVID-19 pandemic presented the world with new challenges that required revolutionary initiatives and rapid responses to the new situation. Many entrepreneurs worldwide, including in Israel, mobilized to address these challenges.
Many companies redirected their planning and production capabilities to meet the growing demand for personal protective equipment. Numerous technological start-ups emerged and provided innovative solutions for remote work and online education. The pandemic emphasized the need for agility, adaptability, problem-solving skills, and the ability to innovate. Many governments recognized the potential of the entrepreneurial ecosystem and implemented measures such as grants, loans, and fast-track regulatory processes to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in various fields, such as the rapid development and distribution of tests and vaccines.
These efforts demonstrated how entrepreneurial initiatives serve as a significant catalyst for recovery and resilience in the face of unprecedented challenges. The key takeaway from these cases is that nurturing an environment that encourages and supports entrepreneurship is crucial for building sustainable and resilient communities capable of adapting, recovering, and thriving after disasters.
On October 7, 2023, Israel experienced a catastrophe. The murderous attack by Palestinian terrorist organization Hamas on the southern communities left the region devastated and the communities shattered and scattered across the entire country.
In response, the Israeli government declared the establishment of a “Resurrection Administration” that will focus on the recovery of the region. The administration will operate for a five-year period and will report directly to the Office of the Prime Minister. The initial budget allocated to it stands at one billion shekels. Its object is to restore residents to their homes and strengthen the social and economic infrastructure of the region.
The decision to establish the administration is undoubtedly a major step in the right direction towards revitalization. A statement by Brig. Gen. (ret.) Moshe Edri, who heads the administration, made clear that its mission will not end with the rehabilitation of all infrastructure and the return of the residents to their homes, but will also include strengthening and developing the local economy, creating new job opportunities, and expanding growth into new dimensions.
To achieve this complex vision, the healing power of entrepreneurship and innovation must be enlisted. The administration should turn to entrepreneurship and innovation as a primary tool that will enable the rapid healing of the region. It should do so by putting mechanisms in place that will encourage entrepreneurs and capital owners to invest their time and money not only in reviving but also in further developing the infrastructure, economy, and local communities of the region. This will support the reconstruction process and attract visionaries and skilled workers to the region who can help transform the local economy, currently based mainly on agriculture, into a booming hub of hi-tech and innovation.
The State of Israel is unique in that it has maintained economic growth while remaining embroiled in a prolonged military conflict ever since its inception. Over the years, Israel’s growth strategy was, and still is, directly tied to its level of investment in innovation and entrepreneurship. In the Global Competitiveness Report for 2018/19, which ranked 141 countries, Israel was ranked first in entrepreneurial culture. Israel’s risk capital-raising rate is among the highest in the world per capita and it is often referred to as the “Start-Up Nation”.
Israeli innovation and entrepreneurship is more than capable of rising to the challenge created by the October 7 catastrophe, but words alone will not suffice. The Israeli government must put its money where its mouth is and actively push towards turning the vision into reality.
Nir Reuven is a researcher at the BESA Center, an engineer, and a former officer in the Merkava development program (the main Israeli battle tank). He has held several management positions in the Israeli hi-tech industry and is an expert on technology. Currently he is co-manager of the Sapir College Innovation and Entrepreneurship Center. He is working on his Ph.D. and lectures at Bar-Ilan University. A version of this article was originally published by The BESA Center.
The post Israel’s Entrepreneurial and Innovative Power Can Help Overcome This Crisis first appeared on Algemeiner.com.
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Syria’s Sharaa Says Talks With Israel Could Yield Results ‘In Coming Days’
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa speaks at the opening ceremony of the 62nd Damascus International Fair, the first edition held since the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, in Damascus, Syria, Aug. 27, 2025. Photo: REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Wednesday that ongoing negotiations with Israel to reach a security pact could lead to results “in the coming days.”
He told reporters in Damascus the security pact was a “necessity” and that it would need to respect Syria’s airspace and territorial unity and be monitored by the United Nations.
Syria and Israel are in talks to reach an agreement that Damascus hopes will secure a halt to Israeli airstrikes and the withdrawal of Israeli troops who have pushed into southern Syria.
Reuters reported this week that Washington was pressuring Syria to reach a deal before world leaders gather next week for the UN General Assembly in New York.
But Sharaa, in a briefing with journalists including Reuters ahead of his expected trip to New York to attend the meeting, denied the US was putting any pressure on Syria and said instead that it was playing a mediating role.
He said Israel had carried out more than 1,000 strikes on Syria and conducted more than 400 ground incursions since Dec. 8, when the rebel offensive he led toppled former Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad.
Sharaa said Israel’s actions were contradicting the stated American policy of a stable and unified Syria, which he said was “very dangerous.”
He said Damascus was seeking a deal similar to a 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria that created a demilitarized zone between the two countries.
He said Syria sought the withdrawal of Israeli troops but that Israel wanted to remain at strategic locations it seized after Dec. 8, including Mount Hermon. Israeli ministers have publicly said Israel intends to keep control of the sites.
He said if the security pact succeeds, other agreements could be reached. He did not provide details, but said a peace agreement or normalization deal like the US-mediated Abraham Accords, under which several Muslim-majority countries agreed to normalize diplomatic ties with Israel, was not currently on the table.
He also said it was too early to discuss the fate of the Golan Heights because it was “a big deal.”
Reuters reported this week that Israel had ruled out handing back the zone, which Donald Trump unilaterally recognized as Israeli during his first term as US president.
“It’s a difficult case – you have negotiations between a Damascene and a Jew,” Sharaa told reporters, smiling.
SECURITY PACT DERAILED IN JULY
Sharaa also said Syria and Israel had been just “four to five days” away from reaching the basis of a security pact in July, but that developments in the southern province of Sweida had derailed those discussions.
Syrian troops were deployed to Sweida in July to quell fighting between Druze armed factions and Bedouin fighters. But the violence worsened, with Syrian forces accused of execution-style killings and Israel striking southern Syria, the defense ministry in Damascus and near the presidential palace.
Sharaa on Wednesday described the strikes near the presidential palace as “not a message, but a declaration of war,” and said Syria had still refrained from responding militarily to preserve the negotiations.
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Anti-Israel Activists Gear Up to ‘Flood’ UN General Assembly
US Capitol Police and NYPD officers clash with anti-Israel demonstrators, on the day Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu addresses a joint meeting of Congress, on Capitol Hill, in Washington, DC, July 24, 2024. Photo: REUTERS/Umit Bektas
Anti-Israel groups are planning a wave of raucous protests in New York City during the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) over the next several days, prompting concerns that the demonstrations could descend into antisemitic rhetoric and intimidation.
A coalition of anti-Israel activists is organizing the protests in and around UN headquarters to coincide with speeches from Middle Eastern leaders and appearances by US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The demonstrations are expected to draw large crowds and feature prominent pro-Palestinian voices, some of whom have been criticized for trafficking in antisemitic tropes, in addition to calling for the destruction of Israe.
Organizers of the demonstrations have promoted the coordinated events on social media as an opportunity to pressure world leaders to hold Israel accountable for its military campaign against Hamas in Gaza, with some messaging framed in sharply hostile terms.
On Sunday, for example, activists shouted at Israel’s Ambassador to the UN Danny Danon.
“Zionism is terrorism. All you guys are terrorists committing ethnic cleansing and genocide in Gaza and Palestine. Shame on you, Zionist animals,” they shouted.
BREAKING: PRO-PALESTINE PROTESTORS CONFRONT “ISRAELI” AMBASSADOR DANNY DANON AT THE UNITED NATIONS
1/5 pic.twitter.com/4G1VYEMGzV
— Within Our Lifetime (@WOLPalestine) September 14, 2025
The Combat Antisemitism Movement (CAM), warned on its website that the scale and tone of the planned demonstrations risk crossing the line from political protest into hate speech, arguing that anti-Israel activists are attempting to hijack the UN gathering to spread antisemitism and delegitimize the Jewish state’s right to exist.
Outside the UN last week, masked protesters belonging to the activist group INDECLINE kicked a realistic replica of Netanyahu’s decapitated head as though it were a soccer ball.
US activist group plays soccer with Bibi’s mock decapitated HEAD right outside NYC UN HQ
Peep shot at 00:40
Footage posted by INDECLINE collective just as UN General Assembly about to kick off
‘Following the game, ball was donated to Palestinian Genocide Museum’ pic.twitter.com/TQ84sgZhKr
— RT (@RT_com) September 9, 2025
Within Our Lifetime (WOL), a radical anti-Israel activist group, has vowed to “flood” the UNGA on behalf of the pro-Palestine movement.
WOL, one of the most prolific anti-Israel activist groups, came under immense fire after it organized a protest against an exhibition to honor the victims of the Oct. 7 massacre at the Nova Music Festival in southern Israel. During the event, the group chanted “resistance is justified when people are occupied!” and “Israel, go to hell!”
“We will be there to confront them with the truth: Their silence and inaction enable genocide. The world cannot continue as if Gaza does not exist,” WOL said of its planned demonstrations in New York. “This is the time to make our voices impossible to ignore. Come to New York by any means necessary, to stand, to march, to demand the UN act and end the siege.”
Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) and Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), two other anti-Israel organizations that have helped organize widespread demonstrations against the Jewish state during the war in Gaza, also announced they are planning a march from Times Square to the UN headquarters on Friday.
“The time is now for each and every UN member state to uphold their duty under international law: sanction Israel and end the genocide,” the groups said in a statement.
JVP, an organization that purports to fight for “Palestinian liberation,” has positioned itself as a staunch adversary of the Jewish state. The group argued in a 2021 booklet that Jews should not write Hebrew liturgy because hearing the language would be “deeply traumatizing” to Palestinians. JVP has repeatedly defended the Oct. 7 massacre of roughly 1,200 people in southern Israel by Hamas as a justified “resistance.” Chapters of the organization have urged other self-described “progressives” to throw their support behind Hamas and other terrorist groups against Israel
Similarly, PYM, another radical anti-Israel group, has repeatedly defended terrorism and violence against the Jewish state. PYM has organized many anti-Israel protests in the two years following the Oct. 7 attacks in the Jewish state. Recently, Sen. Tom Cotton (R-AK) called for a federal investigation into the organization after Aisha Nizar, one of the group’s leaders, urged supporters to sabotage the US supply chain for the F-35 fighter jet, one of the most advanced US military assets and a critical component of Israel’s defense.
The UN General Assembly has historically been a flashpoint for heated debate over the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Previous gatherings have seen dueling demonstrations outside the Manhattan venue, with pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian groups both seeking to influence the international spotlight.
While warning about the demonstrations, CAM noted it recently launched a new mobile app, Report It, that allows users worldwide to quickly and securely report antisemitic incidents in real time.
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Nina Davidson Presses Universities to Back Words With Action as Jewish Students Return to Campus Amid Antisemitism Crisis
Nina Davidson on The Algemeiner’s ‘J100’ podcast. Photo: Screenshot
Philanthropist Nina Davidson, who served on the board of Barnard College, has called on universities to pair tough rhetoric on combatting antisemitism with enforcement as Jewish students returned to campuses for the new academic year.
“Years ago, The Algemeiner had published a list ranking the most antisemitic colleges in the country. And number one was Columbia,” Davidson recalled on a recent episode of The Algemeiner‘s “J100” podcast. “As a board member and as someone who was representing the institution, it really upset me … At the board meeting, I brought it up and I said, ‘What are we going to do about this?’”
Host David Cohen, chief executive officer of The Algemeiner, explained he had revisited Davidson’s remarks while she was being honored for her work at The Algemeiner‘s 8th annual J100 gala, held in October 2021, noting their continued relevance.
“It could have been the same speech in 2025,” he said, underscoring how longstanding concerns about campus antisemitism, while having intensified in the aftermath of Hamas’s Oct. 7, 2023, massacre across southern Israel, are not new.
Davidson argued that universities already possess the tools to protect students – codes of conduct, time-place-manner rules, and consequences for threats or targeted harassment – but too often fail to apply them evenly. “Statements are not enough,” she said, arguing that institutions need to enforce their rules and set a precedent that there will be consequences for individuals who refuse to follow them.
She also said that stakeholders – alumni, parents, and donors – are reassessing their relationships with schools that, in their view, have not safeguarded Jewish students. While supportive of open debate, Davidson distinguished between protest and intimidation, calling for leadership that protects expression while ensuring campus safety.
The episode surveyed specific pressure points that administrators will face this fall: repeat anti-Israel encampments, disruptions of Jewish programming, and the challenge of distinguishing political speech from conduct that violates university rules. “Unless schools draw those lines now,” Davidson warned, “they’ll be scrambling once the next crisis hits.”
Cohen closed by framing the discussion as a test of institutional credibility, asking whether universities will “turn policy into protection” in real time. Davidson agreed, pointing to students who “need to know the rules aren’t just on paper.”
The full conversation is available on The Algemeiner’s “J100” podcast.