Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to meet President Donald Trump at Mar-a-Lago tomorrow. The agenda is heavy: requests for American backing of Israeli freedom of action against Iran and Hezbollah; the preservation of security aid; the expansion of the Abraham Accords; and, of course, dismantling Hamas in Gaza.
The United States recently unveiled a new technological alliance, Pax Silica, uniting nine carefully selected nations as primary partners in the global struggle for control over 21st-century critical technology supply chains.
Alongside Japan, South Korea, Singapore, the Netherlands, the United Kingdom, and Australia, the alliance includes two Middle Eastern representatives, namely the United Arab Emirates and Israel.
Israel’s inclusion in this elite circle is not to be taken for granted.
While Israel is a global powerhouse in cyber and defense, it is not considered a leader in the "deep-tech" sectors that define the current era – AI infrastructure, quantum computing, and semiconductor manufacturing. These fields require massive capital investment in laboratories, academic faculties, and data infrastructure, underpinned by a government policy that favors long-term strategic vision over short-term gains.
Israel was invited to this prestigious club primarily due to its strategic alignment with Washington and its integral role to American chipmakers, which rely on Israeli research and development (R&D) centers for expertise in design, IP, metrology, and cybersecurity. Herein lies the real opportunity: If Israel plays its cards right, it will transcend the role of a mere partner to become an indispensable player, securing its standing regardless of which administration holds power in DC.
Israel brings unique assets to this alliance: exceptional human capital, a culture of innovation, and the extraordinary resilience of a tech sector that continued to thrive even as 25% of its workforce was called to military reserve duty over the past two years.
No more fine lines
In the face of a great power struggle for economic and technological hegemony, Israel’s unwavering strategic loyalty to the United States serves as another major asset. The Israeli private sector has treated the US as its primary destination for both technology and investment, whereas the Israeli government has sought to walk between the American and Chinese.
Since 2020, the Israeli government has demonstrated a commitment to align more with its American ally. However, the events of October 7 made it clear to Jerusalem that the era of walking a fine line is over. Washington is Israel's only reliable partner.
China, which some hoped might act as a counterweight, adopted a distinctly anti-Israel stance during the war, proving it has neither the desire nor the capacity to serve as a stabilizing force in the Middle East.
In a world where many nations are attempting to hedge their bets and maintain ties with all superpowers, Israel can position itself as a rare island of loyalty to the US – a strategic commodity few other nations can offer, especially in the Middle East.
To capitalize on this moment, Israel must launch a three-pronged initiative:
- A sovereign tech partnership framework
Israel should establish a dedicated technological partnership with the US, designed to eventually expand to other Pax Silica members. This should be anchored by a technological Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that secures joint investment on a scale comparable to annual US security aid ($3.3 billion), specifically targeting AI, quantum computing, and advanced energy.
2. Hardening the technological firewall
Israel must formalize its alignment with American standards by enacting robust legislation to protect its tech ecosystem. This includes tighter export controls on dual-use technologies, more rigorous screening of foreign investment in national infrastructure, and shielding academic research in fields sensitive to national security.
3. The Tel Aviv Project
This is the most ambitious pillar – an Israeli counterpart to the Manhattan Project. Just as the US mobilized its greatest minds to develop nuclear weapons ahead of Nazi Germany, Israel should mobilize its top minds in materials science and nanotechnology with the goal of breaking the global bottleneck on critical materials such as Neodymium, Cobalt, Germanium, and Tantalum. These elements are the lifeblood of magnets, sensors, and advanced weaponry – from guided missiles to electronic warfare systems. Today, China maintains a coercive monopoly over the processing of these materials. Washington currently lacks a viable alternative to Chinese dominance; Israel could be a significant partner in reaching the technological breakthrough needed to bypass this deadlock.
Recently, at MIND Israel, we hosted a delegation of high-ranking US officials from industry, academia, and the public sector. While Israel’s technological appeal was undeniable, so was the realization that private sector activity must be backed by decisive government policy, covering all relevant sectors.
This is a game-changing opportunity. It would dramatically enhance Israel's value to Washington, deepen its economic sovereignty, and elevate its standing on the world stage. In the global contest for the future, Israel can remain a respected guest or become an essential partner. The choice is in its hands.
The writer is the vice president of MIND Israel and a former senior director at Israel's National Security Council.