PM Netanyahu Declares Establishment of National Cybernetic Taskforce
(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu this morning (Wednesday), 18.5.11,
declared the establishment of a national cybernetic taskforce to encourage
and develop the field of cybernetics and turn the State of Israel into a
global center of knowledge, in cooperation with academia, industry, the
security establishment and other public bodies.
The national cybernetic taskforce is being established in accordance with
the recommendations of a special team from the Higher Committee for Science
and Technology, which was appointed by Prime Minister Netanyahu, and is
chaired by National Research and Development Council Director Prof. Yitzhak
Ben-Yisrael.
The main responsibility of the taskforce will be to expand the state's
ability to defend vital infrastructure networks against cybernetic terrorist
attacks perpetrated by foreign countries and terrorist elements.
The taskforce is being established following several such attacks have taken
place around the world in recent years, including those which disrupted the
electricity grid in Brazil, banks in Estonia and elections in Myanmar.
Israeli electronic networks are also under permanent threat. For example,
the Bank of Israel's website was shut down in 2008. This past June, after
the Turkish flotilla, hackers attacked many Israeli Internet sites,
including that of the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality.
Prime Minister Netanyahu has directed the allocation of a special budget to
implement the five-year plan that will place Israel at the global forefront
in this field. The plan includes investments in academic research and
development, the establishment of a super computer-based center at an
Israeli university, the establishment of academic centers of excellence,
accelerated activity to bring researchers and academics back to Israel,
significantly increasing the number of cybernetics students and upgrading
university research infrastructures.
The plan will also encourage the business sector, especially high-tech, in
order to develop blue-and-white technologies that will give Israel a
significant advantage in the field. The Government will remove export
impediments on cybernetic developments and the security establishment will
increase assistance for the development of cybernetic technologies by
private industries.
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IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis
Website: www.imra.org.il
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