It’s a shame most Bay Area media ignored Gov. Gray Davis’ important trip to the Middle East last week.
Los Angeles Times readers were the only ones throughout the state to get extensive daily reports of how Davis became the first sitting governor in California history to meet with Yasser Arafat and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak. He also met with Israel Prime Minister Ehud Barak, Foreign Minister David Levy and opposition leader Ariel Sharon.
This is not just a Jewish story. Davis was on a trade and diplomatic mission. In going to Israel, he was visiting one of California’s major high-tech partners.
Silicon Valley is full of Israelis and Israeli high-tech companies. The involvement is growing daily as Israel strives to become second only to the United States in its immersion in the high-tech revolution.
Davis, accompanied by California industry leaders and the consul generals of Los Angeles and San Francisco, told Barak, Arafat and other leaders that “Our high-tech industry can play a very large role in the prosperity that will follow the peace.”
There’s nothing new to this message. Barak and Arafat have heard it over and over again from major world leaders.
But California has a lot of financial muscle it can exert in a peaceful Mideast. Last year, the state’s exports to Israel totaled $726 million. That is miniscule to what might develop if peace comes to the region and brings with it a cooperative workforce of both Israelis and Palestinians. For Arafat, that could mean employment for many of his jobless constituents.
San Francisco-based Consul General Daniel Shek said Davis’ meetings were the type “usually reserved for heads of state and foreign ministers.” He said Mideast leaders “understand the importance of California.”
What a shame more Californians didn’t read or hear about the trip.
Holding even greater importance to California Jews is that this was Davis’ fourth trip to Israel, his first as governor. It’s gratifying to see a political leader who understands and cares about the Jewish homeland.