Tuesday, March 24, 2015

Israel Spied On The U.S. - Iran Nuclear Talks

Israel Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, left, and President Barack Obama shown during a meeting at the White House in October. The leaders disagree over the negotiations with Iran. Photo: Reuters

Wall Street Journal: Israel Spied on Iran Talks

Ally’s snooping upset White House because information was used to lobby Congress to try to sink a deal

Soon after the U.S. and other major powers entered negotiations last year to curtail Iran’s nuclear program, senior White House officials learned Israel was spying on the closed-door talks.

The spying operation was part of a broader campaign by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government to penetrate the negotiations and then help build a case against the emerging terms of the deal, current and former U.S. officials said. In addition to eavesdropping, Israel acquired information from confidential U.S. briefings, informants and diplomatic contacts in Europe, the officials said.

The espionage didn’t upset the White House as much as Israel’s sharing of inside information with U.S. lawmakers and others to drain support from a high-stakes deal intended to limit Iran’s nuclear program, current and former officials said.


Update #1: Report: Israel spied on Iran nuke negotiations -- USA Today
Update #2: Report: Israel spied on US nuclear talks with Iran -- Jerusalem Post

WNU Editor: You have to wonder what information did the Israelis find that is making the Obama administration upset .... what is it that the White House is hiding and does not want Congress/the U.S. public to know about?

1 comment:

James said...

I wouldn't be surprised if other participants in the talks (especially Russia) tipped off Israel.