Look here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_GDP_%28nominal%29_per_capita In this list (Nominal GDP per capita, not PPP GDP per capita as #19 Dave uses, soo muck for figures dint lie, ehh??): ISRAEL i in place 30, WAY AFTER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES. In this logic used in the article: Is european culture and institutions superior to the Israeli ones???? I dint think so. Im sad to say, many of the talkbacks here think themselves as superior to the arabs!

Yes Israel is not in the best position regarding GDP . Do not forget , Israel has very much military expenses . Israel has also integrated millions of refugees . Israel had 600000 inhabitants in 1948 , now around six million . It is not a question of racism , but facts are facts , Jews contributed much more than other peoples to Humanity . Only look at the % of Nobel prizes awarded to Jews , more than 17 ! yes more than seventeen percent . And this number could have been higher , first of all Jews were not always permitted to attend Universitys , were not allowed to professorship , were even denied acces to laboratorys , and last but not least , because so many scientist in spe were assassinated in WWII . Israel is now one of the top Hi Tec centers in the world , and you have not to wonder that many European Scientific institutions look at Israeli cooperation . If telling this is incitement to racism , sorry , antisemites will always find reasons to be so .

You are changing subject. Wonder if its becaus I pointed out that ISARAEL are not a nation of econmic super-growth. Now, you want to tell me that jews are smarter because more than 17 % of the Nobel prizes are awarded to jews. Wonder why you have to keep track on figures like that? Bad confidence? Anyway. Could the answer be that the most of these rightfully awarded jews comes from universitys in USA? The question is, therefore, how many american non-jews have been awarded. Is it not, the quality, and the recourses of these universitys that explains the huge amount of awarded jews? OR, do you still want to tell me, and the rest of the world, that the jews genetical superior brains? TELL ME, I am curious.

You wrote: "Israel is now one of the top Hi Tec centers in the world" Show me those figures You wrote: "...and you have not to wonder that many European Scientific institutions look at Israeli cooperation." Many? How many? And how many compared to sweden, japan, south corea, finland or any western country ? We all co-operate, we dont brag about it. I You wrote: "If telling this is incitement to racism , sorry , antisemites will always find reasons to be so." So, the final argument. Here we go again...In every other country my question in #31 is anormal quesiton in order to AVOID racism. You call me just that - a racist. I AM THE RACIST. Cute....

No kuma , if you call me an idiot , you are not antisemite , but neither smart . I can not give you numbers of Joint Europe-Israeli projects in different fields of science . But , there is a great cooperation . Jews , altought a minority in the USA , were awarded a greater percentage Nobel prizes , than those awarded to non Jews . If you say thats because the USA Univs gave them opportunitys to work there . Fine . But non Jews have the same opportunitys . So why this big difference ? I can give a reason . We have since generations and generations promoted the study . I lived for most of my life in an European country , had non Jewish collegues , who had the same possibilitys as me to let their children go to university , they did'nt . It's not worth , let them go to work , they said . And i say it again , if antisemites are looking for a reason to be so , they always can find . It can be what we are doing , or not . Being rich or poor . being smart or stupid [ there are stupid Jews too ] One thing is sure , Jews contributed more to humanity than other people . If you call this racisme , OK . But it's a fact .

If you call me an idiot , you are not antisemite , neither smart . Facts are facts , Israel is one of the big Hi Tec centers in the world , maybe the biggest per capita . I have no numbers of Europe-Israel cooperation projects . There are many . USA companys buy many Israeli Start ups and bigger Hi tec societys . Why do you think ? Because those Israeli firms are great innovators , find many solutions to Hi Tec problems , develop very interesting software . Israeli firms have big European customers , for example France Telecom . You say that the great number of Jewish American Nobel prizes are because the opportunitys offered to Jewish scientist there . OK , lets say you are right . But non Jews have the same opportunitys , and as there are approx 50 times more non Jews than Jews in the USA , why are'nt there much more non Jewish Nobel prize winners ? There are maybe some reasons . Jews were always promoting study . There were not many illiterated Jews , and , in most Jewish homes you will find a library . Not only religious books . I am what is called an "autodidact" , my field of interest is : the Jewish contribution to Humanity . There fore i have many books in English , German , French and Flemish [ Dutch] I'm the most fluent in the last two . If an antisemite [ i'm not saying you are ] want to find a reason , i repeat it , he always will find one to be so . I'm not an "ubermensch" , this is an expression whit a bad taste for us Jews . If what i wrote is an incitement to racism , Ok , let it be . But facts are facts . Sorry

As i did not see my first tb appear i've send a second , some differences .

No nation could've done what Israel has done in less than 60 years. It truly is a light unto the nations. My family help build and fight for Israel since before 1948 and I couldn't be prouder.

I lived in Sweden and Sweden is a country of peasants and cowards who became affluent through cooperation with Nazi-Germany during WW2. Sweden wouldn't survive one day in Israel's lethal neigborhood. I am proud what we in Israel have accomplished in less than 60 years despite a constant fight for our survival. I look forward to catch-up and leave all the European economies behind us in the near future.

Oh thank you. I am so thankful. Israel will lead my country of peasants and cowards to a non-vilolent, no-hate, no-nuclear future, hallelulia! (oh, sorry, didnt mean to be antisemite, didnt know it was, I am never going to say anything bad against Israel ever again). Above all, I look forward to have the Israel way of democracy in my country. Then we finally will be rid of those inferior finnish people, who have a terrible high birthrate. So thank you again! I have learn the lesson. YOU ARE THE GREATEST; AND YOU ONLY TAKE WHAT IS HISTORICALLY YOURS!

Pathetic Sweden thinks that it is the centre of the universe so don't preach. Given the current demographics in Europe it is just a matter of time before the flag of Islam will wave over Europe so I understand that you are sucking up to your coming masters. We in Israel want to improve many things in our society but we will never give up our national independence which we in contrast to the spine-less Europeans are prepared to fight for. PS: Ha en trevlig dag i Sverigeistan.

I'm still waiting for a RESPONSE to MY tb. You have the same democracy as ours . Did you already find the murderer of your prime minister ? i do not remind it exactly . I have read ounce that in your democracy you have a high rate of suicides ? is that true ? Why so much ? Untill 1989 Swedes where awarded 23 Nobel prizes , fine , Maybe some of them worked also in the USA ? In this list you will find also Nelly Sachs , a Jewess who fled germany in 1940 . Swedish ? We do not want to lead your country anywhere , as we do ot want to do with any other country . We accept critics , you are not necessairely antisemite by criticising Israel , but if you do it , do it unbiaised . OK ?

YOU WROTE: We accept critics , you are not necessairely antisemite by criticising Israel , but if you do it , do it unbiaised . OK ? WHAT DID I WROTE ACTUALLY? I told you that Israel is in 30th place GNP nomial per capita. I told you that many of the rightfully rewarded jews came from universitys in USA, wich allways have the most winners I told you that is riskfully to talk about superiority among whole nations. I still regard Israel as a democratic nation with strong ethical and moral standards, and I personally feel that this values is worth fighting for everwhere in the world. Therefore I did not like your (and others) way of describing Israel as superior to other nations. It is the wrong way to accomplish peace and understandning among nations. It is individuals that wins prizes. It is individuals that commit crimes. Let us AVOID theories that is pointing out groups of people, and naming them as superior, inferior, smarter, more violent etc. It is a dead end!

I asked you why , as non Jewish Americans have the same opportunitys to go to American Universitys , there are not much more non Jewish American Nobel prizes . In another tb i said that i think that because Jews have ALWAYS promoted studys , they have a certain facility to do it . This do not mean that we are superior , i think . Or is making such a supposition , looking at others with disdain ? Are you so weak , that nothing can be said or you think we feel superior ? I said that Israel has accomplished fantastic progress in those 58 years of existence , can you deny this ? and this in a very difficult situation . I said that Israel is one of the biggest HI Tec centers , you immediatly wanted numbers . Intel , you know this society , has establihed a R&D center here , the same for HP , those are great names in HI TEC , not ? Try to find out why , i have an answer . I suppose you are Christian , so Happy Christmas and Happy New Year .

Not only can and have we to be proud of what Israel has achieved in those 58 years , but we can also be proud of the Jewish contribution to humanity .

I cant compete with your style of debate: All the sudden you suggests that I deny that Israel has accomplished fantastic progress in those 58 years of existence. Let me tell you: she has! I sincerely wish you a great new year in Israel. And I truly think that you wish it to all citizens in your country. Peace.

Kuma , i did not think that you would deny Israel's accomplishments . In the two first tb you adressed to me you were a little bit agressive , and that's why i had such a reaction . Now , Kuma , some tb indicated that Sweden collaborated with nazi germany , they forget probably that even allied countrys did it . What i'm NOT forgetting is that more than 7000 Danish Jews found refuge in Sweden in september october 1943 . This with the support of most of the Swedish people . An other renowned Danish Jew found also refuge in your country , Nils Bohr [ his mother was Jewish ]

To who is your tb adressed ?

We accomplished a lot. And continue to change. wooo for aliya chozeret in a few years :)

You would also have to consider population and unique circumstances for your argument to hold water, what's more, you are appaerently incapable of grasping context: this was an article dedicated to regional economics vis-a-vis Israel and her enemies. The United States, European Union, Russia, China, Japan, et al are irrelevant to the question.

Nice try: less than 15% of Israel's budget comes from loan garuntees, and Israel pays back more than the interest on them every year. You need to research before you speak lest you prove the maxim, better to remain silent than remove all doubt...

the late leader of trans jordan that covers the now east bank of the river called for more jews to be welcomed. it is not racism to ask what of late have the arabs accomplished and even more important, apart from oil what else do they have to offer? without the riches of oil, their wealth would be non existant

I have brand new glasses Karen . But i did not see any tb by a Guy . Generally spoken when i speak or write about a person i give his or her full name when known to me . OK Karen X ?