Pröll's trip to Israel: fight against anti-Semitism and digital threats!

Pröll's trip to Israel: fight against anti-Semitism and digital threats!

Ben Gurion Flughafen, Israel - On May 24, 2025, the State Secretary for Coordination and Digitization, Alexander Pröll, will be the first member of the new Austrian government to travel to Israel. This trip is associated with the aim of strengthening bilateral relationships and intensifying the fight against anti -Semitism. Austria sees Israel as a central partner in the areas of digitization, cyber security and anti -Semitism fighting. Pröll will arrive at Ben Gurion Airport in Israel and has planned a number of important visits and meetings.

A central element of his trip is the visit of places that were badly affected by the Hamas terrorist attacks, in particular Kibbutz Beéri and the Nova Festival Memorial, where a massacre took place on October 7, 2023. On this day, Hamas started with a surprising invasion in Israel, which demanded hundreds of hostages and cost more than 1,160 Israelis. The conflict triggered a wave of violence that also cost tens of thousands of civilians in the Gaza Strip. These tragic events have influenced the relationship and cooperation between Austria and Israel.

digital initiatives and collaboration

An important goal of Pröll's trip is also a visit to the Beer Sheva High Tech Parks, where he receives insights into innovative approaches to digitization and cyber security. In view of the advancing threats from cybercrime and the use of hybrid warfare, such as those tested by Hamas and its supporters, especially Iranian cyber actors, this exchange is of great importance. Cyber ​​operations that began with the invasion of Hamas in Israel have the goal of undermining public support for Israel and destabilizing the country's institutions.

The challenge of cyber warfare

After the offensive of October 7, 2023, Iranian cyber actors started a number of offensive attacks that included both opportunistic hack-and-leak attacks and targeted destruction of infrastructures. This phase of cyber warfare extends over several months and shows an increasing complexity and tactics, which aims to reduce both domestic and international support for Israel. The aim of these cyber operations is not only military systems, but also civilian infrastructures in the areas of finance, technology and defense.

Current developments indicate that future cyber attacks could also have far-reaching effects, including potential attacks on the US government and other international events, such as the upcoming Summer Olympics 2024 in Paris. In view of these threats, the cooperation between Austria and Israel is of crucial importance in the areas of cybersecurity and digital innovation processes.