At the 2025 Maariv-Walla Economic Conference, held at the Carlton Tel Aviv Hotel, a special panel entitled "The Battle for Money: The Challenges of the Israeli Economy" took place. The panel discussed issues related to Israeli high-tech in the aftermath of the Swords of Iron War, focusing on import and export challenges as well as the tourism sector.
Participants included Yossi Navi, CEO of the Carlton Tel Aviv Hotel; Hadar Siterman Norris, Partner at Team 8; Yael Arnon Livneh, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Leumi Tech; Avi Balashnikov, Chairman of the Israel Export Institute and Chairman of the Lauder Centers for Employment Promotion in the Negev and Galilee; and Attorney Uri Hess, Head of the Economics Division at the Movement for Quality Government.
Carlton Tel Aviv Hotel CEO Yossi Navi spoke about the challenges posed by the war: "Almost 90% of our guests are international tourists, primarily from the US. We are experienced, unfortunately, in crises. Every few years, we face a crisis, whether it's war or COVID-19. We've learned how to operate in emergencies. During COVID-19, we were the only hotel that remained open, hosting guests from other hotels as well. During the war, we also hosted civilians from the north and numerous delegations – especially from the US – who came to show support and witness the reality on the ground."
Navi pointed out that while the government provides grants for hosting guests, marketing efforts are lacking: "Israel must invest in marketing inbound tourism—this is foreign money that benefits the entire economy."
Hadar Siterman Norris of Team 8 addressed the state of investments recently, stating: "Over the past year and a half, the economic situation has been challenging yet stable. The past year and a half have been difficult for the entire country.
"It was fascinating to see the level of solidarity and mobilization across Israeli society, leading to many successes. In the first months of the war, we saw that even with massive reserve duty call-ups—including CEOs of young startups—these companies still achieved significant positive performance, which led to economic growth and boosted confidence among international investors."
Siterman Norris added: "We saw a surge in foreign investor interest and massive involvement in investments. The human capital in high-tech proved itself tremendously, and we witnessed an explosion of activity. Some entrepreneurs even signed investment agreements while in uniform on the battlefield. In our portfolio, we have several such cases. It was similar to COVID-19—except that here, entrepreneurs spent half the week in Tel Aviv and the other half beyond the front lines."
Yael Arnon Livneh, Head of Marketing and Business Development at Leumi Tech, highlighted the bank's support for the high-tech sector: "We work with the entire industry—companies at all growth stages and investment funds. Despite a challenging year, fundraising in Israeli high-tech rose by 40% compared to the previous year, with strong participation from foreign investors who recognize the opportunities here.
"The greatest innovations happen inside the box—when we are backed into a corner and forced to reinvent ourselves. While we didn't wish for this situation, these difficult moments bring out the most resilient and creative aspects in people, fostering solidarity among companies that helped one another."
Avi Balashnikov, Chairman of the Israel Export Institute, described how the organization adapted to the crisis: "The Export Institute is the government's extended arm for assisting exporters—essentially an economic special forces unit. Under my leadership and that of our CEO, we made it clear that no events would be canceled – every delegation, exhibition, and Israeli pavilion proceeded as planned. We helped companies struggling to participate and assisted those needing to travel abroad. We even established a special operations center to support exporters in the north and south, working behind the scenes to aid those affected."
Attorney Uri Hess, from the Movement for Quality Government, discussed the financial burden of the war: "The war and its associated expenses were forced upon us, but the question is how the government is managing the current situation. Since the war began, direct military expenditures have exceeded NIS 100 billion, and costs are expected to rise. At the same time, state revenues have been impacted, particularly due to the delayed release of conscripted soldiers and the massive call-up of reserves. The question arises as to who will pay for it, and how much. The share of the working sector in the population is shrinking, while the financial burden on it is increasing, and this situation is not sustainable. More than 300,000 reservists have been drafted since the beginning of the war, most of whom have spent more than 100 days of reserve duty, which comes with a heavy price."
