State of the World from NPR Can Mideast peace be treated like a business deal?
Jan 29, 2026
Emily Feng, an NPR reporter on the West Bank, highlights how frozen permits, withheld taxes, and checkpoints have crippled local economies. Michelle Kellerman, reporting from Tel Aviv, explores how Israeli entrepreneurs and the tech sector pitch startups and innovation as paths to regional opportunities. The conversation contrasts business-driven peace efforts with the deep economic and humanitarian damage on the ground.
AI Snips
Chapters
Transcript
Episode notes
Business Framed As A Path To Normalization
- Israeli startup leaders view business as a path to regional normalization and broader peace.
- Investors like Eyal Waldman say trade and investment can precede and enable political engagement.
Personal Loss and Business Decisions
- Eyal Waldman recounts personal loss from October 7 and uncertainty about his Gaza employees' fate.
- He retained West Bank staff via NVIDIA and still supports a two-state solution while seeking Gulf opportunities.
Startup Region, Not Just Nation
- Some Israelis believe economic integration can expand to a 'startup region' beyond Israel alone.
- Tamar Nitzan and others still imagine regional innovation linking neighbors for shared growth.