With the swearing-in of the new Knesset and the formation of a new government, an issue of strategic significance is on the table of decision-makers: the future of ZIM and Israel's maritime sovereignty. This is not just a financial transaction between shipping companies, but a question that concerns the national security and independence of the State of Israel.
Israel is an economically island state. Approximately 97% of its goods enter and leave by sea. In an era of wars, boycotts, rising anti-Semitism, and international uncertainty, the ability to ensure an independent supply of food, medicine, raw materials, and essential equipment is a national interest of the highest order.
The sale of ZIM to Germany's Hapag-Lloyd raises serious concerns, partly because of the identity of its shareholders. The Qatar Investment Fund holds 12.3% of the company's shares and the Saudi Investment Fund holds 10.2%. Together, this amounts to 22.5% of the shipping giant's shares, a significant holding that raises questions about the two countries' ability to influence such a sensitive area.
Qatar, which does not even share a border with Israel, plays a significant role in the conflict with us. It has hosted the Hamas leadership, transferred funds to the Gaza Strip for years, and in addition, the Al Jazeera network, which it finances, spreads propaganda against Israel in a variety of languages and channels.
In the previous Knesset, a bill was even proposed to declare Qatar an enemy state, but it was not advanced to legislation. The debate on Qatar's status and the security implications of its economic ties with Israel remains open.
ZIM is no longer a commercial company..
ZIM was founded before the establishment of the state, and its growth was based, among other things, on reparations money from Germany, which was used to purchase dozens of ships for the Israeli merchant fleet. This is a strategic asset built over generations, which generates tax revenue for the state and provides about 1,000 jobs in the north.
The deal outline includes the establishment of a new Israeli shipping company owned by the FIMI fund, but fundamental questions remain open: the scope of its activities, its operational independence, and its ability to ensure Israel's needs in times of emergency.
Government ministries warned that the risks of the deal in its current form outweigh its benefits.
As the new Knesset is sworn in, its members will face many challenges and controversial issues. However, when it comes to Israel's national security and maritime independence, common interest and common sense must prevail over differences.
The question of Qatar's status as an enemy state and the risks associated with its involvement in the ZIM deal require serious discussion and national responsibility.
The Zim deal needs to be scrapped, and it must be ensured that the company remains Israeli and continues to serve the needs of the state in routine and emergency situations. There are things that money cannot buy, and Israel's maritime sovereignty is one of them.
Zim must remain a large company. There is no place for small companies in global shipping. They rise and fall after a few years, unable to survive. This is because in global shipping, all the factors on which a shipping company depends give reduced prices, whether it is in entering the port, purchasing fuel, purchasing iron, or priority entry to the port. All these factors allow the shipping company to lower the price of transporting a container to the customer. Take this advantage away from the shippers and you have killed this company. It will not have the right to exist, and the country will never have a new shipping company.