Recognizing recent accord between Gov. Brown and Prime Minister Netanyahu, ideas pave the way for enhanced cooperation and innovation.

LOS ANGELES, CA – Los Angeles City Councilmember Bob Blumenfield today introduced a pair of measures to celebrate and strengthen the relationship between the City of Los Angeles and Israel. Both measures build on the recently signed MOU between the State of Israel and California.

“California and Israel share more than just similar climate and culture,” said Blumenfield. “We are two of the most prolific hubs of tech and innovation in the world. With the MOU signed, we must build upon these efforts and continue to work closely for our mutual benefit.”

Blumenfield introduced a resolution which activates Los Angeles’ policy team in Sacramento to support legislation and administrative action that implements provisions of the recent Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) for strategic partnerships and joint innovation exchanges and cooperation between California and Israel.

Councilmember Blumenfield joined Governor Jerry Brown as he signed the MOU with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Mountain View earlier this month. This MOU grew out a 2009 bill by then Assemblymember Blumenfield that directed the State to create a similar MOU, focusing on clean tech and green tech exchanges.

Building on that important work, Councilmember Blumenfield today also asked the City Council to establish the Los Angeles/Eilat Innovation and Cooperation Task Force. The Task Force is designed to build on a 55 year-old Sister City relationship with Eilat and will foster technology investment, business development and research opportunities in clean technology, water resources, solar energy, and environmental technologies and promote the exchange of ideas and innovation between Israeli companies, Southern California business and education communities, non-profits and the City of Los Angeles.

“As Los Angeles and California reckon with the most severe drought in decades, this task force will foster an exchange of technology and ideas with a country that has dealt successfully with water scarcity for years,” concluded Blumenfield.