PM Netanyahu’s remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting

PM Netanyahu’s remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting

 MFA Newsletter 
PM Netanyahu’s remarks at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting

We are in the midst of a global cyberattack. As of now there have been no attacks against our vital infrastructures. We will need to invest more resources in order to ensure that we have the necessary defensive measures against this new type of threat.

(Communicated by the Prime Minister’s Media Adviser)


PM Netanyahu at weekly Cabinet meeting. Archive photo: Reuters/Ronen Zvulun.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, this morning (Sunday, 14 May 2017), at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting, made the following remarks:

„We are in the midst of a global cyberattack; almost 100 countries have been affected. As of now, in Israel, there have not been any attacks against our vital infrastructures. The other attacks have been minor so far, but everything could change. Several years ago we established a defense network against cyberattacks. We also had the foresight to establish the National Cyberdefense Authority based on the understanding that we yet face a new threat. I can only request one thing from Israel’s citizens and Israel’s companies – follow the directives of the National Cyberdefense Authority. There will yet be many developments and we will need to invest more resources in order to ensure that the State of Israel, vis-à-vis both its defense and civilian sectors, has the necessary defensive measures against this new type of threat.

There is another blight, that of bureaucracy and over-regulation. We established a ministerial committee under my leadership, together with the ministers and we meet from time to time. Today we will hear a report on this government effort to lower the cost of living and cut through – as best we can – the regulatory morass. In 2016, the estimated savings is NIS 1.3 billion, but there is major work yet before us. We will continue to comb government ministries and we will cut the bureaucracy that weighs down the economy and Israel’s citizens.

Last night, there was a reprehensible incident in Jerusalem. An extremist and truly marginal faction of ultra-orthodox society, a faction identified with Neturei Karta, burned effigies of IDF soldiers in uniform along with Israeli flags, in order to offend ultra-orthodox soldiers. This was deplorable. IDF soldiers guard everyone, including the ultra-orthodox, including these people. I expect, request and demand that all public leaders condemn this despicable act and I also request that the police find those responsible.”