68% increase in Exports to Arab countries during first six months of 2004

During the first six months of 2004  there has been an increase of  68% of direct exports to Arabic countries, totaled us$ 85m.
 
Mr. Yechiel Asia, Director General of the Israeli Export Institute, who presented the figures, added that the relative security improvement in the region may help to increase even further the bilateral trade with the Arab world.
 
Import from Arabic countries during same period totaled US $42m, an increase of 27% compared to the same period last year.
 
The surge in exports was mainly due to increase of exports to Egypt and Jordan. The figures, however, do not include indirect exports through third countries estimated to value us$6m.
 
Trade analysis indicates  that during the first six months export to Jordan increased by 68% (US$ 64m) compared with last year's.
 
Imports from Jordan totaled US $25.5m, a 23% increase.
 
Exports to Egypt increased by 40% (US$ 14m) and import from Egypt by 35% to US $15m.
 
Export to Persian Gulf countries during same period was up by 14% to US $1m.