Analysis: Industry confabs look stateside

HAIFA, Israel, Jan. 17 (UPI) -- The conference schedule for Israel's security industry points to expanded ties with the United States in 2008, sharing knowledge and securing a larger share of the U.S. market.

In February, the Israel Export and International Cooperation Institute will team with Chameleon Associates, a U.S. homeland security firm, to host a "behind-the-scenes seminar of Israel's counter-terrorism and security operations." Participants will get an "inside look into the security operations of some of Israel's most secured facilities and protected environments," according to Chameleon.

"Attendees will meet with top Israeli security and law enforcement officials and will learn firsthand how Israel developed and maintains some of the world's best counter-terrorism and security systems," the company said in a statement.

The Israel Export Institute will also promote cooperation between Israeli companies in the security industry at a conference in February.

"The goal of the meeting: to create direct relationships and cooperation among security companies in order to promote the participating companies' exports," the Institute said in a statement.

However, the forecast for Israeli exports to the United States is not all rosy. Israeli export companies, including those in the security industry, are feeling the dollar's continued depreciation against the shekel.

"The Manufacturers Association of Israel has urged the Finance Ministry to take emergency action to stem the sharp slide of the shekel-dollar exchange rate and avert a 'national disaster' in the local export industry," The Jerusalem Post reported Thursday.

"If (the Finance Ministry does) not, the manufacturers say, the industry is poised to lose $3.5 billion worth of orders and 30,000 jobs this year," the report said.

The Manufacturers Association said the dollar's depreciation caused $2.1 billion in losses for Israeli companies in 2007.

The report quoted Henry Zimmerman, the chief executive officer of the security firm Trellidor Israel, as saying the fall of the shekel-dollar exchange rate has had a catastrophic effect on his company's exports to the United States and to other countries linked to the U.S. currency.

Israeli companies are also looking to the European Union for expanded markets. Many, such as Cellebrite Mobile Synchronization, are already planning to attend two conferences in Munich, Germany, in June.

The General Police Equipment Exhibition and Conference touts itself as "Central Europe's leading exhibition for police and special equipment as interdepartmental platform for internal and external security." According to the Israel Export Institute, it "is an excellent marketing (vehicle) for (companies) interested in penetrating the European market in the areas of police and special forces."

Meanwhile, the Export Institute will also be hosting an Israel pavilion at the "Legal & Technical standards for criminal investigations in the European Union" conference, according to the statement.