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DHL Opens Mideast's Largest Robotic Sorting Center in Israel

Workers stand at a DHL robotic package processing site in Lod, Israel January 11, 2022. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Workers stand at a DHL robotic package processing site in Lod, Israel January 11, 2022. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
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DHL Opens Mideast's Largest Robotic Sorting Center in Israel

Workers stand at a DHL robotic package processing site in Lod, Israel January 11, 2022. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
Workers stand at a DHL robotic package processing site in Lod, Israel January 11, 2022. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun

Courier services company DHL Express has opened the Middle East's largest robotic sorting center in central Israel, the company said on Wednesday.

Had it not made the 250 million shekel ($80 million) investment in the facility near Ben Gurion Airport, the company said it would not have been able to keep up with the pace of orders in Israel.

A hundred conveyor belts sort 20,000 packages an hour, roughly five times more than before, matching the most advanced centers in Europe, said Yair Bitton, CEO of DHL Express Israel.

A cargo plane can now be handled in 50 minutes instead of four hours, Reuters reported. The automated sorting system requires 70% less manpower, so employees have been trained for other roles, DHL said.

"When we planned this facility five years ago we thought this facility would be good for the next 20 years. Unfortunately, or fortunately, when finishing it we see that it's good maybe for the next five," Bitton said.

That has already led the company to explore other sites and solutions as well.

Israel's economy was expected to have grown about 7% in 2021 and was on course for a record year with recent data estimating exports - a key economic driver - reached as much as $140 billion, up 18% from the year before.

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UAE, Palestine Sign Agreement to Boost Anti-Money Laundering Efforts, Strengthen Regulatory Systems

Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, and Yehya Shunnar, Governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority and Chairman of the Anti-Money Laundering Committee, during a meeting with officials. (WAM)
Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, and Yehya Shunnar, Governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority and Chairman of the Anti-Money Laundering Committee, during a meeting with officials. (WAM)
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UAE, Palestine Sign Agreement to Boost Anti-Money Laundering Efforts, Strengthen Regulatory Systems

Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, and Yehya Shunnar, Governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority and Chairman of the Anti-Money Laundering Committee, during a meeting with officials. (WAM)
Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, and Yehya Shunnar, Governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority and Chairman of the Anti-Money Laundering Committee, during a meeting with officials. (WAM)

The United Arab Emirates and the Palestinian Authority signed on Friday a cooperation agreement aimed at strengthening joint efforts to combat money laundering and enhance economic and regulatory frameworks.

The agreement was reached during a bilateral meeting between Abdullah bin Touq Al Marri, UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, and Yehya Shunnar, Governor of the Palestine Monetary Authority and Chairman of the National Anti-Money Laundering Committee.

Held at the Ministry of Economy’s headquarters in Dubai, the meeting explored ways to deepen cooperation and exchange expertise in supervisory and regulatory policies. Discussions also covered global trends in financial crime and their impact on the stability of economic systems.

According to the Emirates News Agency (WAM), both sides stressed the importance of aligning with international best practices and launching joint training initiatives to build specialized capacity. The goal is to enhance institutional readiness to address evolving financial crime threats and to reinforce investor confidence and financial integrity.

Al Marri highlighted the UAE’s strides in modernizing its legal and regulatory architecture to meet international anti-money laundering standards.

He pointed to the country’s recent achievements, including its removal from the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey list and the European Parliament’s list of high-risk jurisdictions.

The minister reaffirmed the UAE’s commitment to sharing its experience with the Palestinian Authority to help bolster its economic security and advance its financial oversight systems.

The meeting also showcased the UAE’s National Economic Register project, known as “Namo,” which provides a unified, reliable digital database of all commercial licenses across the country.

Officials discussed efforts to standardize procedures for identifying beneficial ownership and to boost oversight of designated non-financial businesses and professions, including real estate brokers, precious metals dealers, accountants, and corporate service providers.

Both parties agreed to continue coordination and knowledge-sharing in this critical sector, emphasizing the importance of building sustainable economic systems and fostering stronger bilateral cooperation in transparency, governance, and financial integration.