Israel's Education Ministry and Intel sign AI and STEM agreement in New York

Israel's Ministry of Education and the technology company Intel have signed a Memorandum of Understanding aimed at advancing science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) teaching and artificial intelligence across the Israeli school system, according to a joint statement from the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry of Education published on 25.09.2026. The statement said the signing took place on the Thursday before publication, in New York.

Those present, the statement said, included Sara Netanyahu, the wife of the Prime Minister; Education Minister Yoav Kisch; representatives of the White House; and senior Intel executives. The government framed the agreement as an outcome of Fostering the Future Together, an international initiative started by US First Lady Melania Trump, which Mrs. Netanyahu leads in Israel.

What the agreement covers

A Memorandum of Understanding is a statement of intent between parties rather than a detailed contract, and the government release describes the arrangement in general terms. Under it, existing programmes in which Intel staff mentor pupils and teachers are to be widened, with the focus placed on artificial intelligence and STEM subjects. The two sides also said they would work on bringing artificial intelligence into technological education tracks, supply mentors to both teachers and students, and increase joint activity in schools and in local authorities, the municipal bodies that run much of the day to day administration of Israeli schools.

The statement added that cooperation will carry on through a competition called the STARTCUP championship. After the competition held in the previous school year, four Israeli projects that won were chosen for display at what the release called Intel's global Artificial Intelligence Festival. The release did not name the projects or the schools behind them.

The Fostering the Future Together initiative

The government describes Fostering the Future Together as an international coalition set up by Melania Trump, intended to help children in the digital age and to support parents in shielding their children from risks online. The release lists four areas of focus: artificial intelligence in education, technological tools for education, digital literacy, and online safety.

According to the statement, the Intel partnership became possible after Mrs. Netanyahu took part in a conference under the same name that Mrs. Trump convened for the wives of world leaders. That gathering took place in Washington in March 2026 and dealt with artificial intelligence and its effects on children and young people. The Prime Minister's Office describes Mrs. Netanyahu as a full partner in the initiative and says the New York signing was another event held under her leadership.

Who spoke

In remarks carried in the statement, Mrs. Netanyahu said she was proud to lead the initiative in Israel and that the partnership would give Israeli students and teachers access to knowledge from people at the leading edge of technology. She said Israel's children "must be among the leaders of the artificial intelligence revolution worldwide."

Minister Kisch, who heads the ministry responsible for Israel's state school system, said wider cooperation with Intel would let Israeli pupils learn about artificial intelligence from the people who build it, and that company engineers would mentor students and teachers. He thanked Mrs. Netanyahu for leading the initiative in Israel.

Why it was announced this way

The release was issued jointly by the Prime Minister's Office and the Education Ministry and published on the English site of the 37th Government, the current Israeli cabinet. Its title presented the item as important news for the education system, while the body of the text centres on the role of the Prime Minister's wife and the link to the US First Lady's programme. Readers should note that this account rests entirely on the government's own description of the agreement.

What the statement does not say

• No budget, funding source or financial commitment from either side is mentioned.
• The duration of the memorandum and any timetable for implementation are not given.
• The release does not say how many schools, teachers, students or Intel employees will take part, or which local authorities are involved.
• It does not explain how artificial intelligence will be integrated into technological education programmes in practice, or whether curriculum changes are planned.
• No comment from Intel itself appears in the statement, and the White House representatives present are not named.
• No independent reporting on the signing was available in the material, so the details above have not been confirmed by a second organisation.