Oracle's Larry Ellison visits Israel - Haaretz

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Sat., August 11, 2007 Av 27, 5767

Israel Time: 01:54 (EST+7)

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Oracle's Larry Ellison visits Israel

By Guy Griml

Larry Ellison, the CEO and founder of software giant Oracle, surprised the head of the community center in Sderot on a visit yesterday, promising to pay for reinforcing the center against Qassam rockets.

Ellison and his wife, Melanie, and 12 family members arrived in Israel on Wednesday evening. Accompanied on their tour yesterday by Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni, the group saw damage caused by the Qassams, including a house struck by rockets.

When Ellison was told during his tour of the rocket-plagued city that the community center needed protection - to the tune of $500,000 - Ellison immediately pledged that amount, saying they would receive it the next day.

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Ellison also visited a lookout to view Gaza, and said that he understood for the first time how close the two cities were to each other. The party then carried on with a visit to the North.

Forbes Magazine ranks Ellison as the ninth richest man in the world, and the richest in California. He once briefly held the title of the world's richest man, and is now worth about $20 billion.

Also accompanying Ellison is Representative Tom Lantos of California, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee. Lantos is Jewish, as is Ellison, and a Holocaust survivor. He celebrated his 80th birthday yesterday.

At Oracle, it was said that Ellison was very excited by his visit, even though he is not known for showing emotion.

During his trip he will meet with Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, President Shimon Peres, and other senior officials, including defense authorities. He will also attend a reception in his honor at the U.S. ambassador's home.

Ellison expressed a desire to keep his trip as quiet and private as possible.

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