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Israel Denies Spying on Iran Nuclear Talks Israel Denies Spying on Iran Nuclear Talks
(about 2 hours later)
JERUSALEM — Three top Israeli ministers on Tuesday denied a report that their intelligence services had spied on the closed-door negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, as tensions continued to mount between Washington and Jerusalem.JERUSALEM — Three top Israeli ministers on Tuesday denied a report that their intelligence services had spied on the closed-door negotiations over Iran’s nuclear program, as tensions continued to mount between Washington and Jerusalem.
“There is no such thing as Israel spying on the Americans,” the defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, said at a pre-Passover toast, according to a transcript provided by his office. Mr. Yaalon said he had checked and found no complaint from the United States to Israeli intelligence services about such spying. “There is a strict prohibition on that,” he said.“There is no such thing as Israel spying on the Americans,” the defense minister, Moshe Yaalon, said at a pre-Passover toast, according to a transcript provided by his office. Mr. Yaalon said he had checked and found no complaint from the United States to Israeli intelligence services about such spying. “There is a strict prohibition on that,” he said.
Yuval Steinitz, the minister for strategic affairs, who is in Europe lobbying officials about the Iran talks, said on Israeli television that “these claims are baseless and we reject them outright.” Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s foreign minister, called the report in The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday “incorrect and inaccurate,” but hinted that Israel may have gleaned information about the talks from spying on the Iranian side.Yuval Steinitz, the minister for strategic affairs, who is in Europe lobbying officials about the Iran talks, said on Israeli television that “these claims are baseless and we reject them outright.” Avigdor Lieberman, Israel’s foreign minister, called the report in The Wall Street Journal on Tuesday “incorrect and inaccurate,” but hinted that Israel may have gleaned information about the talks from spying on the Iranian side.
“Clearly, the State of Israel has various security interests, and clearly we have good intelligence services,” Mr. Lieberman said on Army Radio. “We do not spy on the United States. There are enough elements involved, such as Iranian elements, first and foremost.”“Clearly, the State of Israel has various security interests, and clearly we have good intelligence services,” Mr. Lieberman said on Army Radio. “We do not spy on the United States. There are enough elements involved, such as Iranian elements, first and foremost.”
Israel and the United States have been in an open war over the emerging nuclear deal at least since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke against it earlier this month in Congress, against White House wishes. Israel is not a party to the talks between six world powers and Tehran. For months, there has been a tussle over how much Israel was to be told about the details, and how it might use the information to build its case against the deal.Israel and the United States have been in an open war over the emerging nuclear deal at least since Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke against it earlier this month in Congress, against White House wishes. Israel is not a party to the talks between six world powers and Tehran. For months, there has been a tussle over how much Israel was to be told about the details, and how it might use the information to build its case against the deal.
The Journal report said that senior White House officials had learned – through American spying on Israel – that Israel had acquired information from confidential United States briefings, informants and diplomatic contacts in Europe and shared it with American lawmakers in hopes of persuading them to block the deal. The fact of the espionage, an American official said on Tuesday, was less upsetting than how it was used.The Journal report said that senior White House officials had learned – through American spying on Israel – that Israel had acquired information from confidential United States briefings, informants and diplomatic contacts in Europe and shared it with American lawmakers in hopes of persuading them to block the deal. The fact of the espionage, an American official said on Tuesday, was less upsetting than how it was used.
“It’s no secret that the Israelis spy on us,” said the official, who would speak only anonymously about intelligence matters. “What’s significant is that Israeli political leaders took intelligence and used it to push a political point of view.”
Mr. Netanyahu and his team were incensed to discover, through their intelligence networks, that Secretary of State John Kerry held secret talks last fall with his Iranian counterpart at a luxurious Oman hotel. Since then, Israeli officials have, in turns, complained that their country’s closest ally, the United States, was not providing full briefings on the status of the negotiations, and said that they were nonetheless up to date on the negotiations.Mr. Netanyahu and his team were incensed to discover, through their intelligence networks, that Secretary of State John Kerry held secret talks last fall with his Iranian counterpart at a luxurious Oman hotel. Since then, Israeli officials have, in turns, complained that their country’s closest ally, the United States, was not providing full briefings on the status of the negotiations, and said that they were nonetheless up to date on the negotiations.
After the early rounds of talks, American negotiators often flew directly to Tel Aviv to brief Israeli officials on their progress. But earlier this year, Washington decided to cut Israel off from certain details, and an American official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, said, “We knew we could not keep the cutoff secret, and we knew Israel would react.”After the early rounds of talks, American negotiators often flew directly to Tel Aviv to brief Israeli officials on their progress. But earlier this year, Washington decided to cut Israel off from certain details, and an American official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss internal matters, said, “We knew we could not keep the cutoff secret, and we knew Israel would react.”
The Obama administration has been extremely tight-lipped about the negotiations, seeking to keep a lid even on details that most experts do not see as particularly sensitive. But with Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, the European Union and Iran each having large teams of negotiators, much information has been revealed through basic briefings to journalists and nuclear experts, never mind covert avenues.The Obama administration has been extremely tight-lipped about the negotiations, seeking to keep a lid even on details that most experts do not see as particularly sensitive. But with Britain, France, Germany, Russia, China, the European Union and Iran each having large teams of negotiators, much information has been revealed through basic briefings to journalists and nuclear experts, never mind covert avenues.
As Mr. Netanyahu traveled to Washington on March 2 to deliver his speech, Mr. Kerry issued an unusual public statement warning his team not to reveal sensitive information.As Mr. Netanyahu traveled to Washington on March 2 to deliver his speech, Mr. Kerry issued an unusual public statement warning his team not to reveal sensitive information.
“We are concerned by reports that suggest selective details of the ongoing negotiations will be discussed publicly in the coming days,” Mr. Kerry said at a news conference in Geneva. “I want to say clearly that doing so would make it more difficult to reach the goal that Israel and others say they share in order to get a good deal.”“We are concerned by reports that suggest selective details of the ongoing negotiations will be discussed publicly in the coming days,” Mr. Kerry said at a news conference in Geneva. “I want to say clearly that doing so would make it more difficult to reach the goal that Israel and others say they share in order to get a good deal.”
Mr. Netanyahu’s speech did not contain any sensitive secrets – or, really, any new facts about the emerging deal. Tuesday’s Journal report, however, said that Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, and other Israeli officials, revealed during January and February meetings with members of Congress and their aides information about the deal the White House was trying to keep secret.Mr. Netanyahu’s speech did not contain any sensitive secrets – or, really, any new facts about the emerging deal. Tuesday’s Journal report, however, said that Ron Dermer, Israel’s ambassador to Washington, and other Israeli officials, revealed during January and February meetings with members of Congress and their aides information about the deal the White House was trying to keep secret.
One example given was that Iran would be allowed to keep around 6,500 centrifuges to process nuclear material, something that was widely reported in the Israeli news media in January.One example given was that Iran would be allowed to keep around 6,500 centrifuges to process nuclear material, something that was widely reported in the Israeli news media in January.
A spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington was quoted in The Journal as saying that Mr. Dermer “never shared confidential intelligence information with members of Congress” and that his briefings “did not include specific details from the negotiations, including the length of the agreement or the number of centrifuges Iran would be able to keep.”A spokesman for the Israeli Embassy in Washington was quoted in The Journal as saying that Mr. Dermer “never shared confidential intelligence information with members of Congress” and that his briefings “did not include specific details from the negotiations, including the length of the agreement or the number of centrifuges Iran would be able to keep.”
Mr. Yaalon, the Israeli defense minister, said Tuesday’s report “pains me” and suggested it was part of a deliberate campaign to deepen the distance between Jerusalem and Washington.Mr. Yaalon, the Israeli defense minister, said Tuesday’s report “pains me” and suggested it was part of a deliberate campaign to deepen the distance between Jerusalem and Washington.
“Somebody, apparently, has an interest in creating conflict or introducing more of a bad spirit into the relationship,” he said. “It’s a pity that these bad spirits are entering these channels, and I hope we will get beyond this as quickly as possible, and we will go back to a relationship that is for the most part discreet and secret. And I hope it will continue that way and will in no way be harmed.”“Somebody, apparently, has an interest in creating conflict or introducing more of a bad spirit into the relationship,” he said. “It’s a pity that these bad spirits are entering these channels, and I hope we will get beyond this as quickly as possible, and we will go back to a relationship that is for the most part discreet and secret. And I hope it will continue that way and will in no way be harmed.”
Dore Gold, a former Israeli ambassador to the United Nations and former adviser to Mr. Netanyahu who remains in his inner circle, also attributed the Journal report to the rising discord between the allies.
“Sometimes you have these unfortunate patterns that occur when you have tensions in the relationship,” he observed. “Stories based on anonymous sources pop up, and their purpose seems to be to undermine the alliance between the two countries.”