Israeli companies are increasingly turning to Asia to capture a boom in demand for their technology, as the government urges them to diversify export markets in response to Europe's rising anti-Semitism and potential trade sanctions.
Citing attacks on Jews in Europe — including one in a kosher market in Paris last month — and amid fears that the European Union could take trade steps against Israel over its policy of settlement building on Palestinian land, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu told his Cabinet last month: "We definitely want to reduce our dependence on certain markets in Western Europe."
At the same time, the pro-Palestinian boycott, divestment and sanctions (BDS) movement has started to make strides in some European countries, prompting several firms in Holland and Denmark to end dealings with some Israeli companies and raising the prospect of more trade problems in the region.