WT/MIN(24)/ST/59  
26 February  2024 
(24-1549) Page: 1/2 
Ministerial Conference  
Thirteenth Session  
Abu Dhabi, 26 -29 February 2024  Original: English  
 
STATEMENT BY H.E. MR NIR BARKAT  
MINISTER OF ECONOMY AND INDUSTRY  
ISRAEL 
On behalf of the Government of Israel, I congratulate the World Trade Organization on its Thirteenth 
Ministerial Conference and thank the United Arab Emirates for hosting this important event. My 
greetings to all ministers and delegates – may this Conferen ce foster collaboration and achieve 
significant outcomes on the main issues at hand.  
 
Despite both Hamas ' brutal October 7th terrorist attack against Israel and the subsequent war, our 
economy and nation stand firm. We will emerge from these tragedies more  powerful and united than 
ever. Israel is an economic and technological powerhouse, and our resilience, ability to overcome 
challenges, and openness to free trade are key elements of our prosperity. Israeli innovation in fields 
such as cyber -security, agro -tech, food -tech, med -tech, and desert -tech consistently and continually 
deliver results, unshaken by challenges. Now is the time to do business with Israel.   
 
The disruption to global trade caused by ongoing attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea ar ea 
is a global concern that significantly increases trade costs across the world economy. About 12 % of 
global trade and 30 % of global container traffic pass through the Red Sea. Addressing this 
international problem requires continuous multilateral action and coordination, similar to the manner 
in which the WTO addressed the disruptions to trade stemming from COVID -19 pandemic.  
 
In the face of these challenges, the multilateral trading system and global collaboration are more 
important than ever. As a stron g supporter of the WTO since its inception, Israel reaffirms its 
commitment to the core principles of the multilateral, rules -based trading system, namely, 
non-discrimination, transparency, and consensus -building. These principles must remain 
fundamental a s we revitalize and modernize the WTO to make it responsive to changing 
circumstances in world trade.  
 
It is our view that a meaningful outcome on WTO reform is necessary and that a fully operational 
dispute settlement mechanism should be restored. We also  attach great importance to the extension 
of the moratorium on the imposition of customs duties on electronic transmissions until MC14, in 
the event we are unable to achieve consensus for a permanent moratorium. Israel believes it is vital 
to maintain this  practice, especially for small and medium enterprises and exporters from remote 
and peripheral areas.  
 
Israel strongly supports and prefers the multilateral approach, but also welcomes pragmatic 
solutions to addressing new global trade developments. It is  in this context that Israel has joined 
the E -commerce and the Services Domestic Regulation Joint Statement Initiatives. Plurilateral 
agreements have always been a part of the multilateral trading system and we see them as a 
complementary instrument to pro mote updated trade rules, in line with the Organization 's principles.  
 
Israel acknowledges that food security has been central to discussions at the WTO since the start of 
the pandemic, and that its importance has become more evident under current geopoli tical 
challenges. For Israel, a net food -importing country, the implications of the current geopolitical 
situation have further crystalized the importance of agricultural policy space. Food self -sufficiency is 
a significant non -trade concern that we must c onsider in negotiations on agriculture.  
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  Furthermore, now more than ever, the detrimental effect of export restrictions on the food security 
of net food -importing countries is obvious. In this context, Israel is concerned about the imposition 
of unjustifi ed, unpredictable, and non -transparent export restrictions on food and agricultural 
products. We remain in favor of more stringent rules and disciplines in order to limit the negative 
consequences of such measures and enhance their transparency.  
 
Another challenge we face is climate change, and Israel is a facilitator of one of the four working 
groups on the Trade and Environment Sustainability Structured Discussions (TESSD) initiative. Trade 
policy and environmental goals are mutually supportive and we th erefore see value in the discussions 
held in TESSD, as well as in the Committee on Trade and Environment. The ongoing fisheries 
subsidies negotiations are also important in this regard. Although crucial issues require further work, 
Members have made much p rogress in the last few weeks and we are closer than ever to reaching 
an outcome.  
 
I earnestly call on the WTO to continue its leadership in addressing challenges that negatively impact 
world trade. Israel is dedicated to fostering a more prosperous and o pen global economy and stands 
ready to engage with Members so the WTO can achieve successful outcomes.  
 
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