NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL HEAD SAYS INCREASED

C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 000975 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/FO, NEA/IPA, EB/IFD, TREASURY FOR HIRSON, NSC FOR ABRAMS, DORAN, WATERS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2017 TAGS: ECON EFIN PGOV MASS IS SUBJECT: NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL HEAD SAYS INCREASED MILITARY ASSISTANCE VITAL CLASSIFIED BY: AMBASSADOR RICHARD H. JONES ACCORDING TO 1.4 B AND D. -------------- SUMMARY -------------- ¶1. (C) PROFESSOR MANUEL TRAJTENBERG, THE HEAD OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL (NEC),TOLD ECONCOUNS AND DEPCOUNS THAT THE SECOND LEBANON WAR SHATTERED THE ILLUSION THAT ISRAEL COULD SURVIVE ON PRESENT LEVELS OF DEFENSE SPENDING IN THE FACE OF EVER-PROLIFERATING SECURITY THREATS. ADDITIONAL AID IS VITAL TO ENABLE THE COUNTRY TO MAINTAIN ITS PRESENT STANDARD OF LIVING. HE ADMITTED THAT THE GOVERNMENT BUREAUCRACY IS NOT BUSINESS-FRIENDLY AND NOTED THAT THERE IS TREMENDOUS PRESSURE ON IT TO DOWNSIZE. HE ALSO SAID THAT PEOPLE IN GOVERNMENT NOW FEEL SUFFOCATED BY THE "OVER-LEGALIZATION" SPAWNED BY THE INCESSANT CORRUPTION INVESTIGATIONS, AND ADDED THAT THE ATMOSPHERE OF INVESTIGATION HAS PARALYZED GOVERNMENT WORKERS AND MADE THEM UNWILLING TO TAKE ANY RISKS IN THEIR JOBS. REGARDING THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THE NEC, WHICH HE INITIATED, TRAJTENBERG SAID THAT IT WAS SET UP TO ADVISE THE PM ON ECONOMIC ISSUES AND TO SERVE AS A COUNTERWEIGHT TO THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE, WHERE ALL ECONOMIC POWER HAD BEEN CONCENTRATED. AS FOR HIS OWN ECONOMIC PLANS, HE SAID THAT THE MOST IMPORTANT THING FOR ISRAEL IS TO PROMOTE GROWTH AND REDUCE POVERTY. HE CALLED ISRAEL'S HUMAN CAPITAL ITS GREATEST COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE, BUT LAMENTED THE TREMENDOUS BRAIN DRAIN THAT HAS BROUGHT LARGE NUMBERS OF ISRAELI PROFESSORS TO U.S. BUSINESS SCHOOLS. REGARDING THE ARAB AND HAREDI SECTORS, WHICH ARE THE MOST IMPOVERISHED IN THE COUNTRY, HE CITED NUMEROUS OPPORTUNITIES FOR THEM, SAYING THAT THEY ARE WELL-EDUCATED, AND CAN MAKE A MARK IN EXPORT-ORIENTED BUSINESS PROCESS SERVICES. END SUMMARY. -------------- SHATTERED ILLUSIONS -------------- ¶2. (C) TRAJTENBERG TOLD ECON COUNSELOR AND DEPUTY COUNSELOR IN THEIR MEETING ON MARCH 22 THAT ISRAEL'S GOVERNING ESTABLISHMENT IN RECENT YEARS HAD OVERLOOKED THE INCREASINGLY ALARMING NEED TO ALLOCATE MORE RESOURCES TO DEFENSE SPENDING. HE SAID THAT ISRAEL'S LEADERS WERE "FOOLING THEMSELVES THAT THEY COULD COPE" WITH ESCALATING SECURITY THREATS AT THE EXISTING LEVEL OF SPENDING. HE ADDED, IN THE CONTEXT OF THE SECOND LEBANON WAR HAVING BEEN A "WAKE-UP CALL" REGARDING THE 
NEED FOR INCREASED MILITARY SPENDING AND REFORM (ASKING NOT TO BE QUOTED),"THANK GOD FOR HIZBULLAH. IT COULD HAVE BEEN MUCH WORSE." IN THE PAST, HE SAID, ISRAEL WAS ABLE TO RELY ON ITS EDGE IN CONVENTIONAL WEAPONRY. NOW, HOWEVER, "WERE OVERSTRETCHED, BEYOND THE MISHAPS OF THE LAST WAR." HE SAID THAT "WE'RE IN A DIFFERENT BALLGAME, BUT PEOPLE DIDN'T RECOGNIZE IT." MILITARY AID IN THE PAST WAS IMPORTANT, BUT NOT A "MUST." NOW IT IS CRUCIAL. ISRAEL COULD COPE WITH THE EVER-INCREASING THREATS AGAINST IT WITHOUT ADDITIONAL MILITARY ASSISTANCE, HE POSITED, BUT IT WOULD HAVE TO BECOME A "DIFFERENT COUNTRY, WHERE PEOPLE WOULD NEED TO GET USED TO A STANDARD OF LIVING MUCH MORE MODEST THAN THEY HAVE COME TO EXPECT IN RECENT YEARS." -------------- THREATS KEEP INCREASING -------------- ¶3. (C) ENUMERATING SEVERAL OF THE BIGGEST THREATS FACING ISRAEL, TRAJTENBERG MENTIONED IRAN, HIZBULLAH, SYRIAN MISSILES, AND THE PALESTINIAN FRONT, NOTING THAT IT IS VERY COSTLY TO KEEP THE LID ON TERROR. THE SEPARATION BARRIER WILL COST NIS 12 BILLION (USD 2.9 BILLION) RATHER THAN THE INITIALLY EXPECTED NIS 1.5 BILLION (USD 357 MILLION),DUE TO THE CONTINUING CHALLENGES OF PALESTINIAN TUNNEL DIGGING AND QASSEM ROCKET FIRING, AMONG OTHER REASONS. HE ADDED THAT ISRAEL MUST BE FLEXIBLE AND NIMBLE SINCE THE THREAT PICTURE KEEPS CHANGING. ALONG THESE LINES, TRAJTENBERG SAID THAT HE HAD INITIATED THE FORMATION OF THE BRODET COMMITTEE TO EXAMINE THE DEFENSE BUDGET IN-DEPTH AND FIGURE OUT WAYS TO MAKE IT MORE TRANSPARENT. UNTIL NOW, THE DEFENSE ESTABLISHMENT HAS ALWAYS PRESENTED ITS BUDGETARY REQUIREMENTS AS IF "BY FIAT," AND FEW, IF ANY, OUTSIDERS HAD ANY REAL UNDERSTANDING OF THE DECISION-MAKING PROCESS WITHIN THE MINISTRY OF DEFENSE. IN LINE WITH HIS INVOLVEMENT WITH THE BRODET COMMITTEE, TRAJTENBERG ALSO MENTIONED THAT HE WAS SUPPOSED TO ATTEND THE MEETING IN WASHINGTON EARLIER THIS MONTH ON FUTURE USG ASSISTANCE TO ISRAEL, BUT ULTIMATELY WAS UNABLE TO BE THERE. -------------- BUREAUCRACY STIFLES GROWTH -------------- ¶4. (C) ECONCOUNS NOTED THAT ONE OF THE CHIEF IMPEDIMENTS TO ISRAEL'S CONTINUED ECONOMIC SUCCESS IS ITS PONDEROUS GOVERNMENTAL BUREAUCRACY, WHICH IS STIFLING ECONOMIC GROWTH. THE BUREAUCRACY IS NOT PRO-BUSINESS AND DOES NOT SUPPORT LIBERALIZATION. THIS NEGATIVELY AFFECTS BOTH ISRAELI AND U.S. COMPANIES. HE NOTED THAT ANOTHER REAL WEAKNESS THROUGHOUT THE BUREAUCRACY AND IN THE KNESSET IS THE INABILITY TO DELIVER EXPERT ANALYSIS ON IMPORTANT ISSUES SUCH AS REGULATION, ADDING THAT VITAL LAWS ON ISSUES SUCH AS INTELLECTUAL PROPERTY RIGHTS ARE WRITTEN IN A VACUUM. TRAJTENBERG AGREED THAT THERE IS A DEFINITE LACK OF EXPERT ANALYSIS CAPABILITY THROUGHOUT THE GOI. THIS HAS PARTIALLY RESULTED, HE CLAIMED, FROM THE CONTINUING TREMENDOUS PRESSURE TO DOWNSIZE THE GOVERNMENT, WHICH CUTS "BOTH THE GOOD AND THE BAD." HOWEVER, HE NOTED, THE RECENT ESTABLISHMENT OF A DATA ANALYSIS UNIT IN THE KNESSET IS A SIGN OF IMPROVEMENT. -------------- FEAR IS SUFFOCATING PEOPLE -------------- ¶5. (C) ANOTHER REASON TRAJTENBERG CITED FOR PROBLEMS IN THE BUREAUCRACY IS THE PERVASIVE FEAR OF THE LEGAL ESTABLISHMENT THROUGHOUT THE GOI. HE SAID THAT THE "ENDLESS" CORRUPTION INVESTIGATIONS INSTIGATED BY THE ATTORNEY GENERAL, THE ACCOUNTANT GENERAL, THE STATE COMPTROLLER, ETC., HAVE SUFFOCATED THE BUREAUCRACY AND LIMITED ITS ABILITY TO DO ANYTHING. THERE IS A FEELING OF "OVER-LEGALIZATION," THAT SOMEONE IS CONSTANTLY LOOKING OVER ONE'S SHOULDER. THE CHALLENGE FACING THE GOVERNMENT IS TO FIGURE OUT A WAY TO ADHERE TO PROPER LEGAL STANDARDS WITHOUT SUFFOCATING PEOPLE AND SNUFFING OUT INITIATIVE. -------------- MOF HAD TOO MUCH POWER -------------- ¶6. (C) IN EXPLAINING THE RATIONALE FOR THE FORMATION OF THE NATIONAL ECONOMIC COUNCIL (NEC) WHICH HE HEADS, TRAJTENBERG SAID THAT THERE HAD LONG BEEN TALK OF THE NEED FOR SUCH A BODY IN THE PRIME MINISTER'S (PM) OFFICE. THE PM WAS THE PRIME DECISION-MAKER ON ECONOMIC ISSUES, BUT DID NOT HAVE A PROFESSIONAL BODY TO ADVISE HIM. THIS ALLOWED THE MINISTRY OF FINANCE (MOF) TO ACCUMULATE A GREAT DEAL OF POWER OVER THE YEARS. ON THE POSITIVE SIDE, THE MOF PRACTICED FISCAL RESTRAINT, EXERCISING TIGHT CONTROL OVER THE BUDGET PROCESS. HOWEVER, THE MOF ALSO HAD A MONOPOLY ON POWER IN THE ECONOMIC REALM, AND "AS ANY ECONOMIST KNOWS, A MONOPOLY IS NO GOOD." THE MOF DEVELOPED ITS OWN "CULTURE" AND DID NOT ENGAGE IN A DIALOGUE WITH THOSE HOLDING DIFFERENT POINTS OF VIEW. ITS THINKING WAS TOO SHORT-TERM ORIENTED -- DEALING ONLY WITH THE CURRENT BUDGET CYCLE -- AND DID NOT ALLOW FOR THE DEVELOPMENT OF A LONGER TERM STRATEGY. THEREFORE, IT WAS IMPORTANT TO CREATE A BODY IN THE PM'S OFFICE TO OFFER ALTERNATIVE ANALYSES. ANOTHER REASON BEHIND THE CREATION OF THE NEC WAS FOR IT "TO GIVE VOICE TO THOSE SEGMENTS OF SOCIETY NOT REPRESENTED IN THE KNESSET, OR BY LOBBIES." ¶7. (C) TRAJTENBERG SAID THAT RA'ANAN DINUR, THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE PM'S OFFICE, WAS THE MAIN MOVER BEHIND THE FORMATION OF THE NEC. THE COUNCIL WAS SUPPOSED TO BEGIN ITS OPERATION IN THE SUMMER OF 2006, BUT THE SECOND LEBANON WAR DELAYED ITS FORMAL ESTABLISHMENT UNTIL SEPTEMBER 1, WHEN IT BECAME THE OFFICIAL ADVISORY BODY ON ECONOMIC AFFAIRS TO THE PM. THE NEC NOW CONSISTS OF A TEAM OF SEVEN YOUNG, WELL-EDUCATED ECONOMISTS WITH AT LEAST MASTERS' DEGREES, BUT MOSTLY WITH DOCTORATES. TRAJTENBERG SAID THAT IT IS NOT EASY TO RECRUIT HIGH-QUALITY PEOPLE FOR GOVERNMENT WORK, BUT PLANS TO EXPAND THE COUNCIL'S SIZE "IF THINGS GO WELL." -------------- PROMOTE GROWTH, REDUCE POVERTY -------------- ¶8. (C) THE NEC NOW HAS TWO MAIN ISSUES ON ITS AGENDA -- REDUCING POVERTY, WHICH TRAJTENBERG REFERRED TO AS "ISRAEL'S CHIEF SOCIO-ECONOMIC PROBLEM," AND ACTIVATING THE ECONOMIC LEVERS TO PROMOTE LONG-TERM GROWTH. ON POVERTY, HE SAID THAT REDUCING ISRAEL'S HIGH UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AND INCREASING ITS LOW LABOR PARTICIPATION RATE WERE THE KEYS TO TACKLING THE ISSUE. HIS PLAN, WHICH HE WILL SOON PUBLICIZE BEFORE PRESENTING IT TO THE CABINET, CALLS FOR HEAVILY REVISING THE "WISCONSIN" EMPLOYMENT PROGRAM, AND IMPLEMENTING THE CONCLUSIONS OF THE SHOCHAT COMMITTEE ON HIGHER EDUCATION, WHICH RECOMMEND MAJOR REFORMS IN ISRAEL'S PRIMARY AND SECONDARY EDUCATION SYSTEMS. CLAIMING THAT HE WAS THE ACTUAL INITIATOR OF THE NEGATIVE INCOME TAX PROPOSAL, WHICH FINANCE MINISTER HIRCHSON INCORPORATED INTO THE ECONOMIC PLAN SUBMITTED TO THE GOVERNMENT LAST MONTH, HE SAID THAT THE MOF INITIALLY OPPOSED IT UNTIL HE SUCCEEDED IN CONVINCING HIRCHSON OF ITS WORTH. WHILE THE MOF NOW OSTENSIBLY SUPPORTS IT, TRAJTENBERG INDICATED THAT THERE ARE STILL MAJOR DISAGREEMENTS REGARDING ITS IMPLEMENTATION. (NOTE: PRESS REPORTS INDICATE THAT THE UNCERTAINTY REVOLVING AROUND HIRSCHSON'S FUTURE DUE TO SERIOUS CORRUPTION ALLEGATIONS AGAINST HIM, CALLS INTO QUESTION THE FATE OF HIS ECONOMIC PLAN, INCLUDING THE NEGATIVE INCOME TAX, AND THE PLAN TO REDUCE THE BENEFIT TO WORKERS OF USING COMPANY CARS. THE REPORTS SAY THAT THE UPPER ECHELON OF THE MOF, OTHER THAN HIRSCHSON HIMSELF, CONTINUE TO OPPOSE THE NEGATIVE INCOME TAX, AND THAT MOST OF THE MEMBERS OF THE KNESSET FINANCE COMMITTEE OPPOSE CHANGING THE RULES ON THE USE OF COMPANY CARS. END NOTE.) IN RESPONSE TO A QUESTION ABOUT THE EXISTENCE OF REAL POVERTY IN ISRAEL, TRAJTENBERG SAID THAT WHILE SIXTEEN PERCENT OF THE POPULATION CAN BE CLASSIFIED AS THE "HARD-CORE POOR," FEW PEOPLE IN THE COUNTRY ACTUALLY GO TO BED HUNGRY. HE NOTED THAT THIS WAS NOT DUE TO GOVERNMENT INTERVENTION, BUT SOLELY BECAUSE OF THE PROLIFERATION IN RECENT YEARS OF NGOS DEDICATED TO HELPING THOSE IN NEED. ULTIMATELY, THE POVERTY PROBLEM WILL ONLY BE SOLVED BY CONTINUED GROWTH, REDUCED UNEMPLOYMENT, AND THE CONTINUED INCULCATION OF A CULTURE OF WORK INTO THE WEAKER SEGMENTS OF THE POPULATION. -------------- ISRAEL LOSING ACADEMICS TO U.S. -------------- ¶9. (C) WHAT ISRAEL NEEDS TO CLOSE THE SOCIAL GAP, ACCORDING TO TRAJTENBERG, IS INVESTMENT, AND TO IMPROVE ITS EDUCATIONAL SYSTEM. HE ADDED THAT ONE OF THE NEGATIVE EFFECTS OF THE GLOBALIZATION OF HUMAN CAPITAL ON ISRAEL IS THAT IT IS LOSING MANY OF ITS BUSINESS AND ECONOMIC ELITES TO THE U.S., WHERE ISRAELI-TRAINED SCHOLARS PREDOMINATE ON MANY BUSINESS SCHOOL CAMPUSES. IN RESPONSE, ECONCOUNS NOTED THAT MANY ISRAELI HI-TECH COMPANIES FOLLOW A SIMILAR TYPE OF TRAJECTORY, RESULTING IN A SORT OF "HI-TECH COMPANY DRAIN." ISRAELIS ESTABLISH CUTTING-EDGE HI-TECH COMPANIES WHICH ARE THEN BOUGHT OUT BY U.S. FIRMS, WHICH THEN MOVE OPERATIONS TO THE U.S., LEAVING ONLY SOME RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OPERATIONS IN ISRAEL. THIS "VENTURE CAPITAL MODEL" IS NOT SUSTAINABLE IN THE LONG RUN, AS ISRAEL CANNOT REMAIN ONLY AN INCUBATOR FOR EARLY-STAGE HI-TECH COMPANIES. TRAJTENBERG AGREED, NOTING THE PARADOX THAT WHILE THINGS HAVE NEVER BEEN BETTER IN ISRAEL FROM A MACROECONOMIC PERSPECTIVE, MANY TROUBLING PROBLEMS SUCH AS THIS ONE, EDUCATION ISSUES AND THE EVER-INCREASING DEFENSE BURDEN ARE BUBBLING BELOW THE SURFACE. -------------- ISRAEL MUST LEVERAGE ITS STRENGTHS -------------- ¶10. (C) IN RESPONSE TO ECONCOUNS' QUESTION AS TO WHETHER HE HAS A "VISION" FOR ISRAEL, TRAJTENBERG SAID THAT ISRAEL MUST LEVERAGE ITS STRENGTHS. A GOOD PORTION OF THE POPULATION IS VERY IMPRESSIVE, DISPLAYING TREMENDOUS CREATIVITY, INGENUITY, RESOURCEFULNESS, AND "CHUTZPAH" -- AN ASSET NOT TO BE UNDERESTIMATED IN IMPORTANCE, ESPECIALLY IN THE HI-TECH SECTOR AND IN THE ARMY. AS FOR THE LONG-TERM, TRAJTENBERG ENVISIONS ISRAEL BECOMING MUCH MORE DEEPLY INVOLVED IN INDUSTRIAL DESIGN, WHERE IT HAS "VERY IMPRESSIVE CAPABILITIES." HE ALSO WANTS ISRAEL TO PURSUE MORE AGGRESSIVELY THOSE AREAS WHERE IT HOLDS A COMPARATIVE ADVANTAGE -- WATER TECHNOLOGY, ENERGY CONSERVATION, AND HOMELAND SECURITY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT. -------------- OPPORTUNITIES FOR HAREDIM, ARABS -------------- ¶11. (C) TRAJTENBERG ALSO ENVISIONS INVOLVING THE ARAB AND HAREDI POPULATIONS, WHICH ARE THE MAIN POCKETS OF POVERTY IN AN OTHERWISE PROSPERING SOCIETY, IN THE HIGH-LEVEL SERVICE SECTOR FOR EXPORT. HE CLAIMED THAT THESE GROUPS -- CONTRARY TO POPULAR NOTIONS -- ARE WELL-EDUCATED. THEY ARE PERFECTLY SUITED TO ENGAGE IN, FOR EXAMPLE, ANALYSIS OF LEGAL DOCUMENTS VIA THE INTERNET, TECHNICAL TRANSLATIONS OF ARABIC DOCUMENTS, LONG-DISTANCE MEDICAL ANALYSIS, AND A VARIETY OF OTHER BUSINESS PROCESS SERVICES. MEMBERS OF THESE GROUPS CAN BE TRAINED IN THESE AREAS, AND THEIR SERVICES CAN BE BOUGHT RELATIVELY CHEAPLY. HOWEVER, HE CAUTIONED, GOVERNMENT ALONE CANNOT BE RELIED UPON TO MAKE THIS HAPPEN. WHILE IT CAN BE THE FACILITATOR OR ACT AS A CATALYST, HE CONCLUDED, IT CAN AT MOST BE A PARTNER TO HELP PRIVATE BUSINESSES DEVELOP THE TREMENDOUS POTENTIAL OF THESE DISADVANTAGED GROUPS. -------------- COMMENT -------------- ¶12. (C) AT A TIME OF GREAT UNCERTAINTY IN THE MOF DUE TO THE VARIOUS ONGOING CORRUPTION INVESTIGATIONS -- INCLUDING OF THE FINANCE MINISTER HIMSELF -- TRAJTENBERG IS A WELCOME ADDITION TO THE GOI'S ECONOMIC TEAM. HE JOINS BANK OF ISRAEL (BOI) GOVERNOR STANLEY FISCHER AS A PILLAR OF STABILITY FOR THE ISRAELI ECONOMY. WHILE COMMITTED TO DEALING SERIOUSLY WITH THE ISSUE OF POVERTY, HE UNDERSTANDS THE IMPORTANCE OF FISCAL RESTRAINT, AND WILL LIKELY WORK TO PREVENT UNCHECKED SPENDING. IT WILL TAKE TIME FOR THE NEC TO CEMENT ITS PLACE AS THE CHIEF SOURCE OF ECONOMIC ADVICE FOR THE PM, AND EVEN LONGER FOR THE INTRICATE INSTITUTIONAL RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN THE NEC, THE MOF, AND THE BOI TO SORT THEMSELVES OUT. WHEN THEY DO, THE POWER OF THE MOF WILL LIKELY BE SLIGHTLY DIMINISHED, IF ONLY BECAUSE OF THE ADDITION OF ANOTHER PLAYER. ¶13. (C) THE CREATION OF THE NEC ALSO SEEMS TO INDICATE THAT PM OLMERT WAS DISSATISFIED WITH THE GOVERNMENTAL SYSTEM HE INHERITED FROM PM SHARON. IN LATE 2006, OLMERT MOVED THE NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL (NSC) OFFICES RELATING TO POLICY ANALYSIS FROM SUBURBAN TEL AVIV INTO THE PRIME MINISTERS BUREAU IN JERUSALEM. HE IS CLEARLY UNHAPPY WITH THE PERFORMANCE OF THE ENTRENCHED ECONOMIC AND SECURITY BUREAUCRACIES, AND HAS ATTEMPTED TO CREATE INDEPENDENT ADVISORY BODIES TO OFFER ALTERNATIVE VIEWPOINTS. END COMMENT. -------------- BIO-NOTE -------------- ¶14. (C) MANUEL TRAJTENBERG WAS BORN SEPTEMBER 21, 1950 IN CORDOBA, ARGENTINA. HE IS MARRIED AND HAS THREE CHILDREN. WHILE HEADING THE NEC, HE IS MAINTAINING HIS POSITION AS PROFESSOR AT THE EITAN BERGLAS SCHOOL OF ECONOMICS AT TEL AVIV UNIVERSITY (TAU),WHERE HE HAS WORKED SINCE 1981. HE WAS CHAIRMAN OF THE TAU ECONOMICS DEPARTMENT FROM 2002-2004, AND BECAME A FULL PROFESSOR IN 2004. HE RECEIVED A B.A. FROM HEBREW UNIVERSITY IN ECONOMICS AND SOCIOLOGY IN 1973 AND AN M.A. IN ECONOMICS IN 1976. HE RECEIVED A PHD FROM HARVARD IN ECONOMICS IN 1984, AND HAS PUBLISHED VERY EXTENSIVELY IN HIS FIELD. MANY OF HIS STUDENTS HAVE GONE ON TO BECOME RESPECTED ACADEMICS, TEACHING AT UNIVERSITIES SUCH AS STANFORD. TRAJTENBERG IS A VERY FRIENDLY, OPEN, AND ENGAGING PERSON WHO IS NOT AFRAID TO STATE HIS OPINIONS. HIS REPUTATION AMONG ECONOMISTS AND BUSINESS PEOPLE APPEARS TO BE STELLAR. ********************************************* ******************** VISIT EMBASSY TEL AVIV'S CLASSIFIED WEBSITE: HTTP://WWW.STATE.SGOV.GOV/P/NEA/TELAVIV YOU CAN ALSO ACCESS THIS SITE THROUGH THE STATE DEPARTMENT'S CLASSIFIED SIPRNET WEBSITE. ********************************************* ******************** JONES