Israel Internet eXchange (IIX)

The Israel Internet eXchange (IIX), operated by the Israel Internet Association (ISOC‑IL), is a cornerstone of Israel’s Internet infrastructure and a vital component in building an affordable, reliable, and resilient Internet ecosystem. As Israel’s central interconnection hub for Internet Service Providers (ISPs), the IIX facilitates direct local traffic exchange—ensuring that Internet traffic between Israeli networks stays in Israel.

By keeping domestic traffic local, the IIX reduces dependence on costly and vulnerable undersea cables, increases efficiency, and strengthens the resilience of Israel’s Internet against disruptions, contributing to a more robust, affordable, and accessible Internet for everyone.

The IIX is a Layer‑3 switching platform (router) located in the Med‑1 data center, one of Israel’s largest underground hosting sites. Participating ISPs provision a physical connection to the IIX, subject to the Exchange’s bylaws. Once connected, they can peer locally, exchanging Internet traffic directly rather than routing it through distant international links.

IXPs (Internet Exchange Points) enable lower costs for ISPs by avoiding international transit fees, improved performance for end-users through reduced latency, and greater resilience during outages of international connectivity routes.

Strategic Significance

Before the IIX was established in 1996, Israeli ISPs relied on ILAN, the Israeli Academic Network, for domestic connectivity. When those links were dismantled by order of the Ministry of Communications, local Internet traffic risked being routed via the U.S. or Europe—an inefficient and expensive scenario.

Recognizing the urgency, ISOC‑IL launched the IIX to fill this critical gap, ensuring traffic stays local and supporting the digital ecosystem’s growth. Today, the IIX remains a non‑profit, neutral platform, aligning with ISOC-IL’s belief that interconnection infrastructure should serve the public good.

Measurable Impact of the IIX

The IIX has grown to become a key enabler of Israel’s digital economy. Its measurable impacts include:

• More than 20 networks and ISPs interconnected (including major providers and content delivery networks);
• Multiple gigabits per second of peak traffic exchanged locally, preventing this data from unnecessarily traversing costly international links;
• Significant cost savings for the Israeli Internet ecosystem by reducing reliance on international transit—lowering costs that would otherwise be passed on to consumers;
• Improved resilience of the national Internet: in times of cable cuts or geopolitical disruptions, local services can remain online through IIX peering routes;
• Contribution to Internet Society global metrics: the ISOC 2025 Action Plan identifies IXPs as essential to “lowering the cost of Internet services, improving reliability, and empowering local technical communities”.