[box type=”bio”] This Op-Ed was published February 1, 2009 in the Jerusalem Post by myself, Wesley Pinkham, and Matthew Krieger. [/box]

It is not news that the US government has consistently supported Israel as its primary economic and diplomatic partner in the Middle East. But the reasons for continued investment in the region are based on more than lofty democratic and ideological similarities. American dollars sent to Israel have resulted in stable and significant returns on investment. That this economic partnership is now expanding into the field of alternative energy comes as no surprise.

From the wispy, year-round winds in the North to the sun-drenched desert in the South, Israel’s climate and technological ingenuity are proving to be successful launching points for a widespread and sustainable green-energy movement. The US government and private investors – Americans and Israelis – have taken note of this and have already begun investing deeply, both monetarily and politically.