WarSclerotic

Report: US hushes ‘aggressive Israeli spying’ | i24news – See beyond.

( Interesting isn’t it?  This “report” comes out while Susan Rice is trying to convince Netanyahu not to oppose the soon to be completed Iran-scam deal.  I believe this is the opening salvo in Obama’s plan to de-legitimize Israel’s position with the US public.  I hope we’re ready for the worst… – JW )

Newsweek reports an incident of an Israeli spy lurking in Al Gore’s suite – ignored by Secret Service agents

Newsweek magazine continues reporting on aggressive Israeli espionage tactics conducted against the United States or against US officials around the world, particularly in Israel.

The magazine cites a “senior former US intelligence operative”, who recalls an incident that occurred 16 years ago, in which a Secret Service agent who was alone for a moment in a suite reserved for then-US Vice President Al Gore spotted a man – seemingly, an Israeli intelligence agent – beginning to exit from an air vent in the room.

However, instead of confronting him, the operative confides, the Secret Service agent just coughed lightly, alerting the Israeli agent to his presence – and the would-be burglar quickly disappeared back into the vent.

Additional incidents reportedly include espionage after scientists, space industry officials and senior US Navy officials on shore leave in Israel’s northern port city of Haifa.

Newsweek describes a complicated relationship between Israel and the United States. Though US-Israeli intelligence services are usually on friendly terms, at times incidents such as these may occur – but the US response is to sweep them under the carpet instead of initiating a full-blown scandal.

Also, according to the magazine, when confronted with allegations, Israeli intelligence officials were unmoved by the accusations.

“You can’t embarrass an Israeli,” Newsweek quoted another top intelligence official.

Last week the magazine reported that senior members of the United States intelligence community had told Congress that Israel continues to hold extensive espionage activities in the US, “unrivaled” by those of other closely allied countries.

Most of the alleged espionage focused on industrial and technical secrets.

According to the report, citing current and former intelligence officials, Israel’s efforts to “steal US secrets under the cover of trade missions and joint defense technology contracts have crossed red lines.”

No other country close to the United States continues to cross the line on espionage like the Israelis do,” a former congressional staffer was cited by Newsweek as saying.

Furthermore, it was stated that it is the recommendation of intelligence services that is holding back Israel’s membership from a list of countries whose citizens are exempt from being issued visas before entering the United States.

Originally, it was reported that the denial of a visa waiver is rooted in alleged mistreatment of Palestinian Americans visiting Israel.

The report was denied across the lines by Israeli officials. The Israeli embassy in Washington issued a denial, saying that “Israel does not conduct any spying activities (against the US), and condemns any attempt to tarnish Israel with false allegations.” A senior diplomatic source in Jerusalem told the Ynet web site that Israel would send the US a strong message over the report, even going so far as to argue that parts of it were “tainted with a whiff of anti-Semitism.”

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman called the report a “malicious” and false accusation.

The report is “made up,” Lieberman told Army Radio. “We categorically reject such an accusation.”

Former Israeli ambassador to the US Michael Oren also slammed the report. “Israel hasn’t spied on the US since the Pollard incident, Israel doesn’t spy against the US, period,” he told Ynet referring to US Navy analyst Jonathan Pollard serving a life sentence for spying for Israel some 30 years ago.

In the newer article, Newsweek cites sources who categorically deny all accusations of anti-Semitism motivating such reports. “There is a small community of ex-CIA, FBI and military people… who are absolutely cheering on this story,” the magazine quoted a former US intelligence operative as saying, “not one of them is anti-Semitic… it has only to do with why Israel gets kid-glove treatment, when if it was (Japan or India)… it would be outrageous.”

According to former intelligence officials cited by Newsweek, the powerful “Israeli lobby” – namely, pro-Zionist, Jewish-American interest groups or powerful single donors – influence Congress decision makers, for example, by protesting security warnings issued against travel to Israel. With Congress having direct control over the budgets of the various “alphabet agencies”, members of the intelligence community reportedly found themselves often facing tough dilemmas when voicing any negative perspective on Israel.

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