In the video: Meet the new Gulf Port in Haifa/Editor: Gilad Man Mannheim, director: Shir Shinkman
China's ambition to be the preeminent world power is reflected, among other things, in strategic investment in global infrastructure, and various companies that are arms or affiliates of the dictatorial government in the country operate in a series of avenues: seaports, airports, oil and gas pipelines, road systems and railways for trains and much more.
In the US, a presidential order was recently signed by President Joe Biden, who ordered the removal of cranes from the Chinese company ZPMC, which are considered "Trojan horses", and could be used for espionage and damage to infrastructure on command day. The
order was signed after an inspection carried out by Congress, which revealed non-supportive communication equipment and modems in the routine activity of the Chinese cranes. For example, over a dozen cellular modems were found on the cranes of a single port, and one more modem was already found on another port. These modems are connected to operational components and were allegedly installed for espionage purposes.
The head of the FBI, Christopher Wray, testified A few weeks ago before a special committee in the US Congress on the subject of the Chinese threat, he said that "the Chinese government intercepts the critical infrastructure of the US: water facilities, power grids, oil and gas pipelines and transportation systems. We identified hundreds of devices that were hacked by agents of the Chinese government. The reason for the attack There was planning of operations against critical infrastructures in the fields of communication, energy, transportation and water, with the aim of causing real damage to citizens and communities if and when China decides the time has come to attack."
Subsequently and as a result of the above, Biden signed a presidential order to invest billions of dollars in the replacement of cranes of the Chinese company ZPMC, which according to the Pentagon constitute a security risk.
Levers made by ZPMC.
"The Chinese government is intercepting the US's critical infrastructure with the goal of causing real harm to citizens and communities if and when it decides the time has come to attack," the head of the FBI told Congress/GettyImages
And what does it have to do with us?
These are the same cranes that are also installed in the three main seaports in Israel - the Port of Ashdod, the Chinese Port in Haifa and the South Port, through which 51% of the cargo traffic in Israel passes (as of January 2024).
"China may use its control over these assets to paralyze or damage critical infrastructure in the State of Israel," says Dr. Harel Manshari, one of the founders of the cyber system at the Shin Bet and a senior lecturer in the cyber field at a number of academic institutions.
In recent months, Manshari sent a series of requests to the Chairman of the Foreign Affairs and Security Committee, Yuli Edelstein, in which he alerted and warned against these things and called on the committee to convene and discuss the issue, but according to him, he did not receive a response
. , the Chinese Communist Party, through Chinese companies, has invested extensively in strategic assets and vital infrastructure in the State of Israel.
For the past decade, senior security officials have warned about the inherent risk of China's ruling party holdings in critical infrastructure.
There is a danger that with the intensification of inter-power competition, China may use its control over these assets to paralyze or damage critical infrastructure in the State of Israel.
There is a fear that espionage and intelligence elements of the Chinese army are using these assets as a platform for gathering intelligence information these very days and even deactivating them on Judgment Day."
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Manshri
"Not only ports, there is a risk that security personnel use Chinese vehicles"/Walla system!
NEWS, Elior Rava
Manshari says that the Chinese problem is not limited to the ports but to a long series of infrastructures exposed to the influence of the Chinese government: "There is a tangible danger in the operation of the Gulf port by a Chinese company, there is a risk that security personnel use Chinese vehicles as well as other security risks arising from the activities of the Chinese party in Israel. These risks have increased Especially in view of China's standing alongside our great enemies, led by Iran, and even more so since October 7th."
Regarding the Chinese vehicles that serve the security establishment, Manshari adds that "last month it was announced that the US would investigate whether the Chinese vehicles imported to the US constitute a security risk. But with us it's business as usual: in the past, security personnel warned against the Chinese winning the supply of vehicles to the security establishment, but despite The warning, the members of the Israeli security system receive Chinese vehicles."
Manshari calls on the committee to carry out an urgent inspection in Israel based on the findings in the US: "In the US they learned about the Chinese threat and began to curb it. In Israel, on the other hand, they are not working to eliminate or reduce the threat."
The Chairman of the Foreign and Security Committee, Yuli Edelstein, did not respond.
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China
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Joe Biden
US Congress
Yuli Edelstein
Foreign Affairs and Security Committee