Hi-tech entrepreneur Dr. Yossi Vardi – known to Israeli media as the “Internet guru” is boycotting the settlement movement.
During the international entrepreneurship and creativity conference DLD Tel Aviv held Wednesday (today) at the renovated port of Yafo (Jaffa) Arutz Sheva's Yoni Kempinski approached Vardi to discuss the Internet in Israel and abroad.
Vardi replied shortly that he does not connect with settlers, “not to connect with them, not to contact them and not to speak with them.”
Kempinski tried again, pointing out that he was approaching him as a journalist, and not as “a settler” -- but Vardi brusquely rejected the reporter's attempt to continue the interview, and refused to speak with him further.
Vardi was the first director of the Ministry of Development and Ministry of Energy and Infrastructure, and served as chairman of the Oil Explorations Concessions Council, among numerous others. He also served as Consul for Economic Affairs of the State of Israel in New York and on committees for numerous initiatives on behalf of the government.
Following his resignation from government service, he was involved in founding and helping to build more than 60 high-tech firms, including Alon Co., ITL (international laser technology) company and others.
Born in 1942, Vardi is one of Israel's first high-tech entrepreneurs. He was the recipient of the Prime Minister's Prize for High Tech, the prize for electronics and Tel Aviv University's Romanciano Prize.