Business Secretary Sajid Javid has praised Israel as “something of an IT prodigy.”

Mr Javid was guest speaker at the second annual Arabtech event in central London, organised by the UK Israel Tech Hub from the British Embassy in Tel Aviv to bring together Arab-Israeli tech start-ups with British companies.

He highlighted the “incredible potential in the Arab-Israeli community”, and added that four partnerships had already been created between British publishers and Arabic digital content start-ups.

Mr Javid said: “If the UK is going to thrive as a digital centre and become one of the best it has to work with the best in the world and that of course includes Israel.”

A delegation of 10 Israeli-Arab start-ups from Nazareth attended the event as part of a three-day trip to London. Some of the start-ups had the opportunity to give presentations to a panel of potential investors and business advisors.

Mr Javid told the JC the the UK was “firmly opposed to boycotts and is deeply committed to promoting the UK’s trade and business ties with Israel.”

He added: “The total value of trade and services between our two countries is now well over £4.5 billion a year and there are more than 300 Israeli companies with a physical presence in the UK responsible for thousands of jobs. In the tech sector Israel boasts more active start-ups than any country outside the United States and the high-tech sector accounts for about half of all Israeli exports. If the UK is going to thrive as a centre of digital technology we have to work with the best in the world - And that means Israel.”
Earlier this week the UK and Israel strengthened their ties in scientific and academic cooperation during UK Israel Science Day. The Israeli Ministry of Science, Technology and Space announced it will partner with the UK Government's Science and Innovation Network on a new set of Researcher exchange programmes.

The programmes will enable hundreds of British and Israeli researchers to work together.