Saudi warns against Israeli infiltration of government computer systems: report

Saudi Arabia warned ministries and government entities and companies against an Israeli attempt to infiltrate their computer systems, a report published by a Saudi business daily said.

The warning urged them to avoid dealing with foreign companies, especially German and American companies with strong ties with Israel.

The report, published in al-Eqtisadiya daily, said that the authorities encouraged Saudi firms to seek computer systems and programs from other alternatives, and limit the usage of already acquired computer programs from companies with Israeli links, noting that communication security systems from these companies should be analyzed by government experts at the Interior Ministry which will give them the right recommendations.

The Ministry of Trade and Industry, meanwhile, announced that it will sanction fiercely foreign companies with links to Israel, and might confiscate their assets and black-list them, without neglecting the possibility of jailing the people in charge to jail terms that could range from three to ten years.

This step reconfirms the Saudi position against importing any products from Israel, especially consumer products such as fruits, crops, seeds, meat products, ready-to-wear clothes, perfumes, cosmetics or spare parts.