After bumpy start, Israel approves implementation of Starlink satellite tech to combat blackouts from rocket attacks
Starlink, the satellite technology company founded by Elon Musk, is set to be implemented in northern Israel, Israeli Communications Minister Shlomo Karhi announced on Monday. The deployment comes as Israel prepares for the possibility of large-scale blackouts triggered by rocket attacks from the Iranian regime or its Lebanese terror proxy Hezbollah.
Dozens of Starlink satellite internet stations have already arrived in Israel and will soon be installed in government offices, hospitals, and emergency centers in the north.
The move follows a period of heightened tensions, with almost daily rocket attacks on northern Israel since Hezbollah initiated the conflict on Oct. 8. Last week, Israel conducted a pre-emptive strike against what was planned as a large-scale assault by Hezbollah.
The Starlink communications system brands itself as being “ideally suited for areas where connectivity has been unreliable or completely unavailable," according to the company's website. Musk said that Starlink provides connectivity through the use of a network of thousands of satellites in low earth orbit, essentially “rebuilding the internet in space."
The Starlink website states that its mission is to "connect the unconnected" to allow "access to education, health services, and communications assistance during natural disasters."
Karhi promised to keep Israel connected routinely and in emergencies in a post on 𝕏, noting: “The station will provide satellite wifi to the entire complex and will allow communication continuity in blackout cases and various other scenarios.”
When Starlink was first approved for use in Israel in February, Karhi began his announcement with a Bible verse: “'Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world.' (Psalms 19)"
He continued: "We will soon be receiving satellite communication lines from all over the world. This is great and exciting news. I wish to thank Starlink for the pertinent discussion and foremost agreements and understandings vis a vis Gaza. Starlink's entry into Israel will enable advanced satellite communication in routine and during times of emergency.”
SpaceX chief executive Musk previously expressed his desire to do more to help Palestinians in Gaza last October, offering the use of Starlink to provide internet access during the communication blackouts. The move was strongly opposed by the Israeli government, with Karhi initially threatening to cut ties with Starlink due to concerns it would be exploited by Hamas.
Ultimately, the deployment of Starlink in a field hospital operated by Israel's ally, the United Arab Emirates, received approval.
In an interview, Musk explained the rationale behind helping the field hospital in Gaza as a way to help Israel fight Hamas.
“The goal of Hamas was to provoke an overreaction from Israel. They obviously did not expect to have a military victory, they really wanted to commit the worst atrocities they could in order to provoke the most aggressive response possible from Israel and then leverage that aggressive response to rally Muslims worldwide for the cause of Gaza and Palestine, which they have succeeded in doing."
Musk continued: "The counterintuitive thing that I think should be done, even though I think it’s very difficult, I recommend Israel engage in the most conspicuous acts of kindness possible. Everything. That is the actual thing that will thwart the goal of Hamas.”
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Jo Elizabeth has a great interest in politics and cultural developments, studying Social Policy for her first degree and gaining a Masters in Jewish Philosophy from Haifa University, but she loves to write about the Bible and its primary subject, the God of Israel. As a writer, Jo spends her time between the UK and Jerusalem, Israel.
