Wanted to update this thread. You *are* able to go directly to the ElAl gate if your arriving flight is in the Gate G/F and you're transiting to C/D. My flight (Air Canada) happened to land at a gate at the furthest end of G. The walk to the D Gates was about 20-30 min (and I walk fast).

After landing, there is a passport control area that would have taken me outside the secure area. But, there's a sign that says "Gates C/D". That leads to an escalator up. There was a security screening set up but I was waived through without having to stop at all. Then you walk down a long hallway that appears to be above the arrivals terminal for the G gates. After walking for a really long time and zig zagging around (having to go down another elevator), I ended up at the D gates. The first world problem, however, is that the ElAl lounge is on the other side of the passport control near the D gates. To get to that pre-passport control area, you need to exit the terminal entirely, go through customs, and then go back through the whole security protocols again. I had 3 hours to kill so I decided to leave the secure area and reenter the D gates. Once I was no longer airside, I figured it made sense to just go to the ElAl counters and complete the check in security screening.

Not sure my experience is helpful since I left the airside secure area -- but, at a minimum, at VIE you *can* physically connect to the ElAl departure gate and remaining airside.