

REPORTING FROM JERUSALEM -– Arabic is Israel’s second official language, though it has long been treated more as a poor stepsister than an honored member of the family.

But learning the native tongue of the Arabian Peninsula has gained a small boost lately among one group of Israelis as a needed weapon in the latest battleground between their nation and its enemies: the Web.

Arab and Jewish computer hackers have been raiding websites around the Middle East in recent weeks, disrupting service at businesses such as the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange and stealing identities. Seeking to upgrade their skills, a group of Israeli hackers has turned to the Berlitz language school for customized classes in Arabic, as well as Turkish, Persian and English.

One student told the Hebrew daily Maariv that better language skills will provide "additional tools that will help us fight attempts to attack Israeli sites."

The Berlitz class, a sort of Arabic-for-hackers 101, includes the alphabet and recognition of key words such as “Ministry of Interior Affairs,” “national bank” and “government,” one teacher told Maariv. "This will save us time locating government companies, banks and enemy country government bodies," the student said.

Mira Mines, a top Berlitz executive, was quoted in the report as saying that the school was glad to take part in the national effort and "help hackers deter anti-Israeli elements from attacking Israel in the future."