The Israeli government unanimously approved Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar’s proposal to develop a national critical minerals program, the Foreign Ministry announced on Wednesday.
The ministry said Sa’ar launched the initiative after participating in the Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington, at the invitation of US Secretary of State Marco Rubio.
The Critical Minerals Ministerial is a major US-led diplomatic initiative aimed at restructuring critical minerals supply chains to reduce international dependence on China.
“The program aims to strengthen Israel’s security of supply of essential raw materials while turning its dependence on these resources into an opportunity for economic growth and stronger international partnerships,” the ministry said.
Sa’ar described the issue as “a strategic issue of the first order and a matter of national security,” adding that “Today’s government decision marks an important step forward in advancing this national initiative.”
Initiative seeks to strengthen Israel’s critical mineral supply chains
The government initiative focused on two principal objectives: “Ensuring the supply of essential minerals to the economy and the defense establishment” and “creating Israeli assets in the field” by leveraging the country’s technological and innovation capabilities.
The Foreign Ministry said the initiative would seek to advance international cooperation and strengthen Israel’s participation in critical mineral supply chains.
“Critical minerals are essential to advanced technologies, from electric vehicle batteries and semiconductors to stealth aircraft,” the statement added.
An interministerial team led by Foreign Ministry Director-General Eden Bar-Tal developed the recommendations.
The initiative was developed by an interministerial team involving several government ministries and national agencies, including the Prime Minister’s Office, the Defense Ministry, and the Israel Innovation Authority.
The Foreign Ministry said Israel had also begun advancing international cooperation on critical minerals, including discussions with Kazakhstan.
