Israel has officially joined the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) during a ceremony held in Paris where the organization is located. Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, attended the ceremony and said that this step is a vote of trust in the Israeli economy.
French President, Nicolas Sarcoxie, and Italian Prime Minister, Silvio Berlusconi, attended the ceremony.
Netanyahu stated that he hopes France will pressure the Palestinians to hold direct talks with Israel instead of the current proximity talks mediated by the United States.
He added that Israel does not object to sending humanitarian aid to the Palestinians in the besieged Gaza Strip, and that his country “will not allow sending missiles or construction materials to Gaza”.
Netanyahu said that joining the OECD will enable Israeli to access sources of investment and boost its economy.
The ceremony also welcomed Estonia and Slovenia to the organization.
The Business Week reported that the OECD brings together the most developed countries in the World and is considered one of the first major international organization that invites Israel since it joined the United Nations in 1949.
