Gov. Pillen shares his experience in Israel while on trade mission

Gov. Jim Pillen is in Israel this week to promote Nebraska trade and U.S. defense technology.

The governor attended a swearing-in ceremony for new troops in the Israeli army and visited the Nova Festival Memorial, which commemorates the victims of the Oct. 7 attacks.

Pillen said he met with people in western Galilee who have endured thousands of warnings to take shelter over the last 18 months but said the recent ceasefire negotiated by President Donald Trump has made things calm again.

“There are experiences that give one a clear understanding of the facts and what is taking place,” he said. “Really, really grateful to see peace, see joy, see forgiveness in lots of people's hearts.”

Israel launched new strikes in the Gaza Strip on Tuesday, citing a violation of the cease fire by Hamas operatives.

Pillen said he hadn’t heard about Israel’s plan to strike Gaza but assumed it would be a talking point at his meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu scheduled for late Thursday.

However, Omaha Jewish Foundation CEO Bob Goldberg said he was able to hear the strikes but didn’t see anything.

“We did hear some of the action that was taking place in Gaza today,” he said. “We could hear it. It wasn't too far off.”

The governor said Nebraska defense technologies are already being used for Israeli defense, mentioning aerospace and defense company General Dynamics, which has a manufacturing facility in Lincoln.

“The people of Nebraska and the folks that are part of General Dynamics are playing a significant role,” Pillen said. “The technological advancements are saving a lot of lives.”

The governor’s delegation toured Kfar Aza Kibbutz, a location near the Gaza Strip, where many residents were massacred and taken as hostages on Oct. 7, 2023.

“There was extraordinary amounts of evil,” Pillen said. “And I, like the greatest number of Nebraskans, want to make sure we can play a role, speak it to existence, so that we can be a part of a community of love and grace and a people that will support all brothers and sisters.”

The delegation also met with the U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

“Ambassador Huckabee was in awe,” Pillen said. “He bragged about Nebraska being the number one cattle producer in the United States of America, bypassing, surpassing Texas.”

Nebraska is responsible for more than 99% of America’s beef exports to Israel, thanks to Noah’s Ark Processors in Hastings, which is the only American plant to export kosher beef to Israel. The plant is expected to double in size, due in part to a recent $10 million investment from the USDA Meat and Poultry Processing Expansion Program and $1 million from the Nebraska Department of Economic Development.

Pillen said members of the Ziegelheim family, who own Noah’s Ark Processors, are in attendance on the trade mission to promote their product and working with producers to meet kosher standards.

The governor also highlighted water technology opportunities for Nebraska agriculture from Israeli startups.

“They are making extraordinary breakthroughs on water,” Pillen said. “They're doing desalinization. And so those are great minds and great technologies that we want to be a part of.”