The Cabinet today approved the creation of the National Cyber Directorate. 

The Directorate will lead development in the field of cyberspace in Israel, coordinate between the relevant agencies dealing with the issue, expand the cybersecurity of national infrastructures against cyberattacks and encourage promotion of the issue in the industrial sector.  Thus the State of Israel will become a global focus of knowledge and cyber industry, in cooperation with academia, industry, the security establishment and other public bodies.

The Directorate has been created following recent attacks on computerized infrastructures which claimed a high economic and diplomatic price.  These attacks – inter alia – struck at electricity grids in Brazil, banking systems in Estonia and Lockheed Martin's computer systems.  Various cyberattacks have also been made against Israel.  The Bank of Israel's website was hit in 2008; after the flotilla event, hackers struck at the websites of various institutions, including the Tel Aviv-Jaffa Municipality.

Preparations to create the Directorate were made by leading experts in the field, assisted by a special team chaired by National Research and Development Council Chairman Maj.-Gen. (ret.) Prof. Isaac Ben-Israel.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that, "We intend to put the State of Israel in the vanguard of the cyber field around the world.  Alongside the security importance, there is great economic opportunity here.  Therefore, in light of its importance, the Directorate will report directly under the Prime Minister."