Israel’s largest internet company, Apple, on Tuesday announced that it will open its first store in Israel.
The Israeli tech giant is one of a number of global companies that have been investing heavily in Israel in recent years.
It has recently expanded its presence in Israel and has partnered with Israeli startups and other businesses to launch and operate its online stores in the country.
In addition to its online store, Apple has begun to expand its online presence, starting with a mobile application called “iPad Store,” which lets users buy, subscribe to and rent products on Apple’s website.
In a statement, Apple said that it would offer Israeli residents of Israel the option to use the iPad Store to buy, rent and use Apple products.
Apple is one part of a broader global effort to boost the Israeli economy, which has struggled to compete with the growing popularity of the online marketplace Amazon and other digital retailers.
“As we work to make Israel more competitive in the digital space, Apple is investing in Israeli startups,” Apple CEO Tim Cook said in the statement.
“We believe that Israel has a bright future, and we are excited to be a part of this exciting project.”
In the past, Apple had been slow to expand in Israel, with no store openings in the Jewish state in the past three years.
In 2016, Apple closed its retail stores in Tel Aviv and the city of Nazareth and moved its Israeli headquarters to Jerusalem.
