Israel is building a “digital Iron Dome,” Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu said
Monday at the opening ceremony of a new national program to train young people
for cyber warfare.
“Israel’s vital systems are under attack from Iran and
other elements. This will only increase as we enter the digital age,” Netanyahu
stressed, speaking at the Ashkelon Academic College.
“We are bolstering
our ability to deal with these threats via the Israel National Cyber Bureau
(INCB) that we established,” he added.
The new program, known as
“Magshimim Le’umit,” is three years long and is aimed at outstanding pupils aged
16-18 from the periphery.
“To the outstanding pupils that are studying in
the special program, I say: ‘You are the future interceptors for the State of
Israel.’ We are one of the world’s leaders in the field of cybernetics, and we
must maintain this position. Therefore, we will continue to cultivate the
generation of the future,” the prime minister declared.
Also speaking at
the event was INCB head Dr. Eviatar Matania, who said Israel needed and intended
to improve its methods of operation.
“This program is an example of the
actions that we are advancing in the field of cybernetics in order to develop
the high-quality human capital in the State of Israel,” Matania said.