Israel Aircraft Industries (IAI), surpassing its previous high, reached eleven billion shekels ($2.6 billion) worth of contracts in the year 2000 - a 10% increase over 1999. Globes newspaper reports that IAI\'s business with the Israeli defense establishment and with Europe fell, whereas the value of its contracts with Asian countries and the U.S. rose. In 2000, IAI signed 1,600 deals, compared with 1,450 in 1999, selling its products in over 100 countries. IAI’s globalization policy resulted in an increase in the value of contracts signed with the US ($900 million, compared to $732 million in 1999) and with Asian countries ($800 million, up from $539 million). In Israel, business went down to $480 million from $544 million), and likewise with European and CIS countries ($300 million, down from $475 million). IAI accounted for 50% of Israel’s overall defense exports in the year 2000.