Israeli Prime Minister Netanayhu at the memorial service for Ariel Sharon. Photo: Knesset.

JNS.org – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will visit California’s Silicon Valley next week to meet with technology executives and sign an economic cooperation deal with California.

During the one-day visit, Netanyahu is expected to sign a strategic cooperation agreement with California Governor Jerry Brown to promote economic relations.

“The agreement aims to expand and strengthen cultural, academic, and economic ties, as well as promote innovation, with an emphasis on water conservation, alternative energy, cyber defense, biotechnology, health, agritech, and higher education,” Globes reported. The deal will also give Israel access to California’s Innovation Hub (iHub) program, which includes access to 16 high-tech clusters in California.

Netanyahu will also meet with founder of WhatsApp, which was just purchased by Facebook for $19 billion, as well as executives from Apple, Flextronics, LinkedIn, and eBay.

The prime minister will travel to California after a stop in Washington, D.C., to meet with President Barack Obama and members of Congress, and attend the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) conference.