A recent op-ed by a former senior Israel Navy official proposes a fascinating idea: Turning Israel into a trading bridge, linking East and West.
The idea, put forward by Rear. Adm. (ret.) Oded Gour Lavie, envisages ships arriving from massive, growing Eastern economy powers like China and India, and docking at Eilat’s Red Sea port, which would become a regional distribution center.
High speed rail links would then transport cargo to Israel’s Mediterranean ports, Ashdod and Haifa, and from there, ships would take them west, to ports in Europe.
This would create very significant economic gains for Israel, and save considerable time for cargo ships.
It could also establish naval partnerships between Israel and neighboring states, who have a shared interest in keeping the area clear of terrorists that target ports and sea traffic.