Israel Won’t Stop Spying on the U.S.

[azurnoir]

Whatever happened to honor among thieves? When the National Security Agency was caught eavesdropping on German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s cell phone, it was considered a rude way to treat a friend. Now U.S. intelligence officials are saying—albeit very quietly, behind closed doors on Capitol Hill—that our Israeli “friends” have gone too far with their spying operations here.

According to classified briefings on legislation that would lower visa restrictions on Israeli citizens, Jerusalem’s efforts to steal U.S. secrets under the cover of trade missions and joint defense technology contracts have “crossed red lines.”

Israel’s espionage activities in America are unrivaled and unseemly, counterspies have told members of the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees, going far beyond activities by other close allies, such as Germany, France, the U.K. and Japan. A congressional staffer familiar with a briefing last January called the testimony “very sobering…alarming…even terrifying.” Another staffer called it “damaging.”

The Jewish state’s primary target: America’s industrial and technical secrets.

“No other country close to the United States continues to cross the line on espionage like the Israelis do,” said a former congressional staffer who attended another classified briefing in late 2013, one of several in recent months given by officials from the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), the State Department, the FBI and the National Counterintelligence Directorate.

http://www.newsweek.com/israel-wont-stop-spying-us-249757

[Scuba]

1. How can they afford it? Oh, wait. Never mind.

[harrose]

2. Don't All Countries Spy On All Other Countries Anyway?

n/t

[shaayecanaan]

4. the rules

The countries of the UKUSA alliance have agreed to certain red lines. For example, the US CIA does not recruit citizens of Britain, Australia, Canada or New Zealand to spy on their own governments.

Australia in particular is quite deferential to the US, mainly because its close intelligence relationship with the US is its prime asset.

Jonathan Pollard, the analyst that spied for Israel, actually offered to shop secrets to the Australian government as well. The Australians, fearing it was some kind of honey pot trap set by the CIA, recalled the officer that Pollard approached and later disclosed the incident to the US.

[King_David]

6. All true except I don't think New Zealand nor Australia are players here,

Except for looking for lost aeroplanes they not even G7.

[shaayecanaan]

7. Neither is Israel (nt)

[Jefferson23]

3. Israel: We don't conduct espionage operations in the U.S.

Israel condemns Newsweek report that quotes intelligence officials as saying that Israel 'crossed red lines' in spying on U.S.
By Barak Ravid | May 6, 2014

Israel on Tuesday condemned claims in a Newsweek report that it engages in massive and aggressive spying on the U.S.

The article quoted confidential briefings by American intelligence officials to Congress, in which they said that Israeli espionage operations in the U.S. have "gone too far."

The article caused anger in Jerusalem and the Israeli embassy in Washington was instructed to protest the allegations to the U.S. government.

The spokesman for the Israeli embassy in Washington Aharon Sagi said the report was false.

"Israel doesn't conduct espionage operations in the United States, period," he said. "We condemn the fact that such outrageous false allegations are being directed against Israel."

The Newsweek article explained that intelligence officials cite Israel's massive spying as the reason for the failure to provide visa waivers to Israelis entering U.S.

The intelligence assessments were given in confidential briefings to a number of congressional committees dealing with proposed legislation that would lower visa restrictions on Israeli citizens wishing to enter the U.S., according to the report.

Israel spies on the U.S. under the cover of trade missions or as part of joint defense technology agreements between the two countries, the intelligence officials reportedly told Congress. "Israel has crossed red lines," Newsweek reported the officials as saying.

American counter-intelligence officials told members of the House Judiciary and Foreign Affairs committees at the end of January that Israel's espionage activities in America are "unrivaled and unseemly," going far beyond the activities of other close allies, such as Germany, France, the U.K. and Japan.

http://www.haaretz.com/news/diplomacy-defense/1.589252

[Purveyor]

5. kick. Thanks for posting. +1 eom