How Israel is trying to protect its diplomats from the attack

Since the founding of the Israeli state, employees of its embassies and institutions all over the world have realized that they are possible goals.

However, the killing of two young employees from the country’s embassy in Washington was a deep shock, and shed light on how the country seeks to protect its duties abroad at a time when its war with Hamas in Gaza was nourishing anger around the world.

“This will crack and break the feeling of safety in the capital. If it could happen there, this can happen anywhere,” said a former Israeli diplomat published in multiple locations, including the American capital.

“This was the nightmare scenario, in the most sensitive location.”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the security to increase in Israel’s diplomatic stations all over the world in the wake of Thursday’s attack, as Sarah Milgerim and Yaron Lesinski were Release While they left a reception for young diplomats by a man who shouted a slogan in support of the Palestinians.

Israeli officials declined to comment on what this transformation might require, citing security considerations. But former diplomats said it is likely that it will lead to a reassessment of everything from the number of security personnel around the embassies to what diplomatic juvenile employees can attend.

They warned that there are limits in the extent that additional protection could reach – especially if the attacks occur in “more soft” targets away from the embassy itself, as was the case in Washington.

((Increasing security) usually means some local police in front of the embassy, ​​for external security. But this only explains the entry and exit from the embassy or the task, and the area near the outside, “said the former former diplomat.

“You can’t protect everyone all the time. But it will definitely change the embassy file in the capital. We need to re-calculate everything. This will change the extent of understanding of low diplomats and even other dibrolasians (like the couple who killed)-they are also targets.”

During the last century, many Israeli embassies were the target of attacks. One of the most Amot, who blamed Hezbollah in 1992, took place when a truck suicide bomber led the Israeli embassy in Buenos Aires, killing 29 people, including three employees of the Israeli embassy and several local employees.

Other world -level attacks included an attempt to assassinate the Israeli ambassador to the United Kingdom in 1982 and a series of attacks in New Delhi, including one in 2012 in which an Israeli diplomatic wife was wounded, and according to a “delicious” bomb that was placed abroad from her car.

Earlier this year, the United Kingdom and the United States imposed sanctions on the Iranian -backed Iranian headquarters Foxtrot The criminal network and its leader, Roa Majid, which they accused of being involved in violence against the Jewish and Israeli goals in Europe on behalf of Iran.

Former envoys said that the employees had received extensive training before sending them abroad, to prepare them for such risks.

The former diplomat said: “You should always be aware, to look around, to look under your car. It also conducts security exercises when you are in a publication.”

“You have never been taught reservations, and certainly not under your name. If you want to buy something you will never buy regularly or online – you come out and buy it immediately.”

In a post in Asia, the former diplomat added: “I have never asked for a taxi to the embassy – I would like to ask for me to take half of a block on the road in front of the Hungarian embassy.”

In some cases, official Israeli actors abroad were granted a special distributor to carry a personal firearm.

Reserves have been increased since the beginning of the war in Gaza. After the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which sparked the war, Israel withdrew diplomats from some embassies in the Middle East due to security concerns. In other tasks, such as Abu Dhabi and Bahrain, the employees remained in the Post.

Israel’s tasks also depend on cooperation with local security services. In countries like India, which has trade and significant diplomatic relations with Iran, Israeli diplomats rely on the cleansing of the host government that foreign intelligence agencies have been warned of taking any action on the Indian soil.

The person said: “After a specific environment, we have the responsibility of insurance, the rest is a matter of confidence in the political arrangement.”

“For a big task like New Delhi or Washington, you cannot have two armed guards for each member (member) when they go to the shopping center or pick up their children from school.”

In other countries, the embassy indirectly participates in ensuring that the local police of major Jewish landmarks are strong, as another person said. Nev Shalom Church in Istanbul was attacked at least three times since the 1980s, and Israeli security teams advised the local police over security measures, especially after the 2003 attack demanded by al -Qaeda.

However, the diplomats said that even with the highest level of security, attacks like attacks in Washington – by a man said the authorities said he acted alone and had a previous police contact – was very difficult to prevent him.

“I was less than 24/7 … I had all young men wherever I went, whenever I went … I felt very safe,” said former former Israeli diplomat, who served in the United States, Europe and Europe.

“But you can feel very safe. (Just) must be” lucky “once, and we must completely protect our people, 100 percent of the time.”