Fleur Hassan’s journey into politics began a decade ago, driven by a passion for fostering innovation and improving lives. As a Jerusalem-based political leader and advocate for Israeli ingenuity, Hassan’s work has transformed her city into a hub of technological progress while addressing complex socio-political challenges.
“My political career started when I got together with incredible innovators in Jerusalem,” Hassan shared. At the time, Jerusalem was labeled as a city for tourism and government offices, but Hassan and her collaborators envisioned more. With some of Israel’s best universities in the city, including the Hebrew University and Bezalel Academy of Arts and Design, they saw untapped potential.
“We were facing a brain drain,” she explains. “Graduates were fleeing to Tel Aviv for high-tech jobs.” Determined to change this dynamic, Hassan and her team built an ecosystem for innovation in Jerusalem, which was later supported by local government funding. Their efforts have nearly tripled high-tech jobs in the city, integrating ultra-Orthodox and Arab communities into Israel’s economic prosperity.
The US-Israel Innovation Partnership
Hassan attributes Israel’s innovative spirit to necessity. “Since the beginning of the state of Israel, we didn’t have neighbors to trade with,” she says. This isolation spurred advancements in food, water sustainability, and security—industries that now attract global partnerships.
The U.S.-Israel relationship plays a pivotal role in advancing these innovations, particularly in defense technology. Hassan describes the dynamic partnership as uniquely collaborative: “America is good at big things, and we’re good at smart things. Together, we build the biggest and smartest defense technology.”
Using systems like the Iron Dome as an example, Hassan explains how the partnership thrives. “America creates something and brings it to Israel. We test it and improve it with tweaks to make it even more precise. It’s a real partnership that strengthens both nations.”
US Extension in the Region
Hassan believes that Israel’s innovation and its alignment with Western values make it a target for adversaries like Iran. “Iran hates Israel because they want to get America out of the region and create Shia homogeneity—a caliphate governed by Islamic law,” she explains.
According to Hassan, the ideological clash is deeply rooted. “Israel is America’s extension in the region, and our Western liberal values stand in the way of their vision to dominate the Middle East.”
Hassan acknowledges that some groups remain intent on Israel’s destruction, fueled by education systems steeped in anti-Israel sentiment. “It’s in their DNA; it’s taught,” she says. However, she has witnessed how exposure to reality can challenge these beliefs.
“When someone meets a Jew for the first time, they realize, ‘Oh my God, these people are normal. Some of them are even nice.’ It opens their eyes to the lies they’ve been fed their whole lives.”
Taking Action Against Radicalization
Hassan is candid about the dangers of radical ideologies infiltrating education, both abroad and in the United States. She references Qatar’s role as a sponsor of anti-Western rhetoric in American educational institutions.
“You have infiltration from a foreign actor that wants the destruction of your way of life,” she warns. “Instead of teaching young people about America as the land of opportunity, they’re taught to see it as an evil colonialist empire. That is a problem.”
Deradicalization, according to Hassan, begins with education and the courage to confront uncomfortable truths. She quotes the foreign minister of the United Arab Emirates: “You people in the West don’t understand how toxic Islamic fundamentalism can be. Don’t be so politically correct. Wake up and deal with it.”
For Hassan, the formula is simple yet powerful: “If you want to change the world, start by doing it. Don’t wait for governments to act. Create something meaningful, and they will follow.”
