Germany is aiming to establish a joint German-Israeli cyber research centre and deepen collaboration between the two countries' intelligence and security agencies, German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt has said.
"Military defence alone is not sufficient for this turning point in security. A significant upgrade in civil defence is also essential to strengthen our overall defensive capabilities," Dobrindt said during a visit to Israel, as reported by Germany's Bild newspaper on Sunday.
This despite rights groups and many German humanitarians calling for severing ties with Israel, which has carried on with its genocidal war on Gaza, ignoring any calls for a truce or lift its crippling siege of the Palestinian enclave.
Dobrindt, who was appointed by new German Chancellor Friedrich Merz last month, arrived in Israel on Saturday.
Germany is among Israel's closest allies in Europe, and Berlin has increasingly looked to draw upon Israel's defence expertise as it boosts its military capabilities and contributions to NATO in the face of perceived growing “threats” from Russia and China.
According to the Bild report, Dobrindt outlined a five-point plan aimed at establishing what he called a "Cyber Dome" for Germany as part of its cyber defence strategy.
Earlier on Sunday, Bavarian Prime Minister Markus Soeder called for the acquisition of 2,000 interceptor missiles to equip Germany with an "Iron Dome" system similar to Israel's short-range missile defence technology.
