Israel ranks as New Mexico's 9th largest trading partner. Political sentiments seem to fall quickly to the side when faced with a financial bottom line, indicating that foreign investors in the region probably have very little to fear. Though about 80 percent of Jordan's business community is of Palestinian origin, the seven or eight Israeli companies in Irbid, Jordan, for example, have not been hurt by the heightened tensions. Arab businesspeople dealing with Israeli and overseas investors have a strong interest in maintaining economic normalcy. The intifada has hurt the Arabs way more than it has hurt us.
Ideology only works up to a point.
New Mexicans are also confident the current conflict will not harm their business interests in the Middle East. Certainly things could turn for the worse, but in the present circumstances I am not concerned. We are looking for those special markets. Everyone can go to Japan or Korea or Germany, but I think the most promising developments are in the smaller markets. They are easier to manage and offer a greater variety.