Wall Street mogul and White House confidante Anthony Scaramucci wrapped up his internationally publicized tour of Israel on Wednesday afternoon with a visit to the Achva halva factory near the Shomron community of Ariel, accompanied by his hosts in Israel Duvi Honig, Founder and CEO of the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce, and Dr. Joseph Frager, Executive VP of the Chamber.
Scaramucci was enamored by the sight of how this delicious Israeli snack is produced by hundreds of Israelis and Palestinians working side-by-side. Achva and other companies with operations in the “disputed territories” have been top targets by the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) movement and other anti-Israel forces.
In conversations with Palestinian Achva employees, Scaramucci heard firsthand how pleasant their work environment is. Their Israeli managers and coworkers treat them well, and they earn roughly triple the salary they’d earn holding a similar job in the Palestinian territories. Boycotts of Achva products can lead to reduced demand and, by extension, reduced economic opportunities for Palestinians – even more so than for Israelis. The same holds true of boycotts of most Israeli products and businesses, especially those with facilities in Yehuda and Shomron.
The Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce hosted Scaramucci to showcase Israel’s unique economic opportunities as the former White House Communications Director refocuses on his investment portfolio. The visit also gave him a firsthand glimpse of the security situation in the Middle East. During his stay in Israel, Scaramucci participated in tours of the Kotel (Western Wall) and Yad Vashem; headlined a VIP dinner at King David Hotel celebrating the Chamber’s new Israel branch; met Israeli business and political leaders; and toured Sderot, the Gaza border and other sensitive security areas.
As heads back home, Scaramucci – who hinted at a possible return to the White House - is contemplating various Israeli investments and has an enhanced understanding of Israel’s difficult struggle against its physical and economic enemies.
“No words can convey how impressed I am by Israel’s rich culture and sophisticated economy, and how struck I was by the real life effects of terror organizations and the BDS movement,” Scaramucci remarked. “I look forward to working together with the Orthodox Jewish Chamber of Commerce to promote US-Israeli economic relations, and to stand steadfastly behind our dear ally in its diplomatic and security endeavors.”