TEL AVIV Ñ Israeli security firms are reporting increased interest and business in the United States.

The increase includes a range of Israeli companies that provide security services on airlines or protect Internet bases.

"A lot of projects that were put on hold are being jump-started," said Cheral Druck, vice president of marketing at the Israeli firm Whale, which offers network security and protects data bases. "People are making decisions more quickly."

The U.S. aerospace giant Boeing signed a memorandum of understanding with the state-owned El Al Israel Airlines to explore the prospect of establishing a security and safety company for airlines, airports and governments. The proposed company would provide expertise, products, staffing, technology and training.

Earlier this month, a U.S. official told the Senate Governmental Affairs Committee that fewer than 10 percent of checked bags at the nation's airports are inspected for bombs. Transportation Department Inspector General Kenneth Mead reported what he termed "alarming lapses" in airport and airlines security.

A former El Al general manager, [Res.] Brig. Gen. Yoel Feldshuh, is heading an Israeli company, Ganden Tourism and Aviation, which focuses on aviation security consulting. Executives said the U.S. campaign to increase airline and airport security has created a huge market worth hundreds of millions of dollars.

Garden Tourism and Aviation is trying to woo an Israeli senior intelligence official to join the company. Executives said the Far East is another market for the company.

Industry analysts said Israel could even increase sales of remote-sensing services. They said the Tel Aviv-based ImageSat could offer satellite photographs of Afghanistan and other areas of the war region to governments.

ImageSat operates the Eros-1 satellite, launched in December 2000. It has sold about a dozen pictures of the Afghanistan military campaign to such television companies as CNN and BBC. Each photo costs between $5,000 and $10,000.

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