الجريمة

Minister of Foreign Affairs Gideon Sa’ar today (Thursday, 22 May 2025) made the following statement to the media following the murderous terror attack in Washington D.C:

“Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Lynn Milgrim – two young people, representatives of the State of Israel, were murdered a few hours ago in a heinous terror attack in Washington D.C.

Yaron and Sarah were murdered at an American Jewish Committee event at the Capital Jewish Museum.

I spoke this morning with Daniel, Yaron’s father, and told him that his son was a warrior on the diplomatic front and fell as a soldier falls on the battlefield.

I extend my condolences to their families, as well as to the employees of the Israeli Embassy in Washington.

The attack is the direct consequence of the virulent and toxic antisemitic rhetoric against Israel and Jewish communities around the world that has been going on since October 7.

Recently, we have witnessed an unprecedented wave of terrorist attacks and attempted terrorist attacks against Israeli missions around the world, with an emphasis on our missions in Europe.

Israeli missions and representatives around the world are targets of antisemitic terrorism that crosses all red lines.

I spoke of this recently on Memorial Day at the ceremony for fallen MFA personnel.

I have been concerned for the past few months that something like this would happen. Unfortunately, my concern was justified – the list of the fallen has been extended today.

Following the murder of our personnel, we will lower the flag to half-mast today at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and all Israeli missions around the world.

My heart goes out today to all MFA personnel, to our diplomats who struggle under difficult conditions on the diplomatic front. I am honored to head this organization. They serve the country, are identified with the country, they symbolize the country. They attract confrontations and harsh, venomous declarations.

And today, two of them attracted the terrorist’s bullet. A direct line connects antisemitic and anti-Israeli incitement to this murder.

This incitement also includes official representatives of many countries and international organizations, particularly in Europe.

The accusations of so-called genocide, crimes against humanity, and infanticide, which are the modern equivalent of blood libel, pave the way for these acts of murder.

This is the environment that has created the situation where Jewish and Israeli lives are at risk.

This is what happens when world leaders surrender to Palestinian propaganda of terror and lies.

Statements and criticisms directed at Israel instead of at Hamas, which instigated the war on October 7, and is solely accountable for its continuation and for the resulting suffering experienced by both Israelis and Palestinians.

I say today to world leaders who have been swept into these realms:

Stop the incitement against Israel.

Stop the false accusations. Support Israel in the historic campaign that has been forced upon it against the axis of evil in the Middle East.

I spoke several times this morning with our ambassador to the United States, Dr. Yechiel Leiter. I thank him the way he is representing us in the US and, at this time, also for his support of the embassy staff.

I spoke as well with our dear friend, US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee, who updated me on the intensive investigation being conducted by multiple government agencies into this crime. The most senior officials of American law enforcement system are closely monitoring the investigation, and we appreciate it.

Terrorism haunts us everywhere, but we will not surrender to it. Since October 7, Israel has been engaged in a multi-front war against those who seek destroy it, whose goal is the destruction of the only Jewish state.

We, who have taken the oath ‘Never again,’ will not allow this to happen.

This is an appropriate opportunity to announce the conference against antisemitism that we will hold here in Jerusalem in the middle of next week, within the framework of the Israeli presidency of IHRA. The conference will be attended by foreign ministers and other ministers of IHRA member states, envoys to combat antisemitism, and representatives of Jewish communities from these countries.

The new antisemitism is flourishing today on academic campuses, in the media, and on social networks. We are committed to fighting this phenomenon with all our might and are grateful to our partners around the world who are with us in this fight.

To the entire Israeli people, I say this morning: “Hold your heads high.”

There is no nation on earth that would have endured with such fortitude, dedication, and strength what we have faced and continue to face.

Let us work together to reinforce our unity so we can continue to effectively address the significant challenges that have been forced upon us.

The Glory of Israel does not lie (1 Samuel 15: 29)!”

The recent report published by the Israel National Cyber Directorate on cybercrime in Israel reveals that in 2024, more than 300 ransomware attacks were documented in the country—most likely carried out by cybercriminals. However, the actual number is estimated to be significantly higher, as many incidents likely went unreported.

An analysis of the main sectors targeted by ransomware attacks shows that law firms and accounting offices are the most preferred targets for cybercriminals, followed by dental clinics and businesses in the hotel and hospitality industry. Other sectors reported this year include logistics companies, garages, and manufacturing plants.

The most common types of ransomware malware observed in Israel include: Phobos, STOP/DJVU, and variants based on the LockBit Builder.

“Small and medium-sized businesses continue to be a primary target for cybercriminals due to weak cyber defenses and a lack of regulatory oversight,” explains Sophie Sterik, a threat researcher at the National Cyber Directorate. “A proper and up-to-date backup is not a luxury—it’s a basic condition for business survival. Alongside cybersecurity tools, employee training, and identity and access management, a separate and offline backup is the safest way to recover quickly in the event of an attack. It’s the last—and sometimes only—line of defense.”

The report also states that 6,133 organizations worldwide were affected by ransomware attacks in the past year—a 15% increase compared to the previous year. The number of global infections by infostealer malware reached 39,119,905 in 2024, with stolen data often sold for relatively low prices on the darknet. In Israel, for example, 52,913infostealer infections were identified on various endpoints.

The most common infostealer malware types in 2024 include: RedLine, Generic Stealer, Lumma, Raccoon, and StealC.

Cyber attackers’ activities in the past year have been marked by a desire to achieve maximum impact with minimal effort. The INCD identified several cases in which attackers used previously leaked data and presented it as new data leaks, allowing attack groups to claim credit for attacks they didn’t actually carry out and gain exposure—while damaging the reputation of the supposedly “breached” organizations.

According to the report,

“Law enforcement agencies around the world have shifted their approach to handling cybercriminals—focusing less on catching individual offenders and more on dismantling infrastructure and systems that enable criminal operations, while examining the broader network connections between offenders. The goal is to disrupt operations over the long term, thereby making cybercrime less profitable.”

Looking ahead to 2025, the INCD forecasts include:

• Advanced use of AI to enhance attack tactics
• A rise in low-cost, high-impact attacks
• Attacks leveraging leaked personal information
• Exploitation of zero-day vulnerabilities
• Increased AI-driven phishing and social engineering attacks

On the defense side, greater cooperation between law enforcement and the private sector is expected.

For the full report click here

If you got hurt while drinking, it’s not your fault! we’re here for you.

The dangerous substances commonly referred to as “date-rape drugs” are GHB, GBL, Ketamine, Rohypnol, and Numbon. They are intentionally injected by secretly adding the drug’s liquid to a drink with the goal of making the victim feel faint or lose consciousness so that they can commit a sexual assault. These substances cause a decrease in the victim’s ability to resist sexual assault, as well as dizziness, drowsiness, and an inability to remember details about the rape. All of this makes it difficult to apprehend and convict the assailant.

• GBL: A clear, odorless, and flammable liquid with a slightly salty taste that goes unnoticed when mixed with various beverages such as coke, wine, coffee, or alcoholic drinks. This substance is illegal and sold in clubs, entertainment venues, and on the internet
• GHB: This substance is typically sold as a white powder that, when heated, transforms into GBL
• Ketamine: An anesthetic drug, used in veterinary medicine. Its use as a drug can be fatal, especially when combined with alcohol, and its harmful misuse is typically witnessed in clubs.
• Benzodiazepine sleep and sedative drugs
• Alcohol: The most widely used substance for date-rape

Possible effects of a date-rape drug and other psychoactive substances

• Faintness
• Loss of memory
• Blackout periods
• Compromised willpower
• Confusion

Symptoms that may indicate the use of a date-rape drug or other blurring substances

• Loss of memory for several hours
• In the event of alcohol consumption, the reaction is not typical of the known effects of alcohol
• After the effects of a date-rape drug wear off, victims may find themselves in a strange place without any memory of how they got there.

Detecting the date-rape drug and other drugs

Remnants of the date-rape drugs disappear from bodily fluids in a short time; therefore, the time it takes to perform the test for date-rape drugs is crucial!
In recent years, there have been numerous cases of sexual assault victims who were suspected of being drugged, but no traces of the drug were found in their bodies. This makes it difficult for victims to recover from the trauma and for legal evidence to be gathered.

Testing through a hair sample

A groundbreaking test can detect the presence of date-rape drugs and other drugs in the body through a hair sample from 5 weeks up to 6 months after the incidence.

If you have been hurt, where can you get tested for date-rape drug?

Contact the Department for Fighting Pharmaceutical Crime in the Ministry of Health

Email: hairtest@moh.gov.il

Fax: 02-6473933