MEDIA ROOTS – The AP recently reported that Israel is still considered the premier counterintelligence threat to the CIA’s Near East Division. Other media have reported similar findings over the years. The Associated Press has reported the fundamental paradox underlying the U.S.-Israel relationship: Israel spies ferociously against the United States, while the U.S. Congress and Executive Branchwork overtime to support Israel “unconditionally.”

Best friends

During a March 2011 trip to Israel, U.S. Defense Secretary Robert Gates commented how he couldn’t recall an era in his decades of public service when any two countries shared a closer military relationship than the United States and Israel. He remarked that the U.S. and Israel are cooperating closely in many areas including missile defense technology. One must wonder what Robert Gates, a veteran of the Cold War, thought about the September 2010 arms deal signed between Israel and Russia, Mossad’s decision to withhold vital intelligence from the USA regarding an imminent truck bomb, which killed over 240 U.S. Marines on 23 October 1983 (Ostrovsky: 320-322), Israel’s sale of U.S. military technology to China, or the June 2012 revelation that Israel and Russia are cooperating together to develop an advanced unmanned aerial vehicle. Gates eventually summoned a modicum of courage behind closed doors and referred to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as an “ungrateful ally.” 

In his capacity as U.S. Secretary of Defense, Gates was undoubtedly aware that Israel spies ferociously on the United States, obtains U.S. weaponry through licit and illicit means, and bootlegs U.S. military technology with a precision that puts Beijing to shame. Despite this threat, the CIA doesn’t spy on Israel; Even though Israel is theoretically an intelligence target, most of the U.S. Intelligence Community refrains from spying on Israel due to “the complexities of U.S./Israel politics” (Jones: 50). Espionage against Israel is mostly limited to counter-intelligence work, which is conducted stateside by the FBI.

Leon Panetta, who succeeded Robert Gates as U.S. Defense Secretary, traveled to Israel in October 2011. Panetta’s trip mirrored Gates’ in many ways. Following the United States’ great tradition of sycophancy towards Israel, Panetta expressed his pleasure that “the United States and Israel have a closer defense relationship today than ever in history,” in traditional areas as well as in missile defense technology, counterterrorism and joint military exercises. Sound familiar? According to Panetta, this relationship “is yielding tangible benefits” and “helping to save lives.” Like Gates, Panetta reaffirmed “the unshakeable commitment of the United States to the security of Israel,” citing specifically the battery of Iron Dome rockets given to Israel, courtesy of the U.S. taxpayers. At the beginning of August, Secretary Panetta returned to Tel Aviv and pledged fiscal and military fidelity to the Israeli government.

The trips undertaken by Gates and Panetta “reaffirm” Israel’s “security,” while making no mention of the Palestinians’ “security.” Both trips witness U.S. and Israeli defense officials discussing Iran’s nuclear program, while making no mention of Israel’s substantial nuclear arsenal. Both trips cite “security challenges” such as “violent extremism,” “terrorism,” and “adversarial states.” Although giving arms to Israel benefits the U.S. military-industrial complex tremendously, supporting Israel unconditionally muddles the United States’ ability to act as an impartial mediator. In other words, annually feeding the Israeli government billions of dollars exposes the United States as the world’s worst arbiter. Perhaps unintentionally, the trips undertaken by U.S. defense officials showcase how the U.S. taxpayer subsidizes the Israeli Defense (sic.) Force.  

Deeply comprimised

Israel consistently ranks among the top perpetrators of espionage against the United States, rivaling China and Russia in certain metrics, particularly economic espionage. Israeli intelligence permeates the U.S. Intelligence Community to an alarming extent through elaborate front companies, wiretapping firms, and individual Mossad assets. Simply put, Israel’s operations within the United States are extensive:

“In 2004, the authoritative Jane’s Intelligence Group noted that Israel’s intelligence organizations ‘have been spying on the U.S. and running clandestine operations since Israel was established.’ The former deputy director of counterintelligence at FBI, Harry B. Brandon, last year told Congressional Quarterly magazine that ‘the Israelis are interested in commercial as much as military secrets. They have a muscular technology sector themselves.’ According to CQ, ‘one effective espionage tool is forming joint partnerships with U.S. companies to supply software and other technology products to U.S. government agencies.’”

Stewart Nozette, a noted scientist with a high-level security clearance, was one of the most recent arrests in the FBI’s uphill struggle against Israeli espionage. In true diplomatic cowardice, “the indictment does not allege that the government of Israel or anyone acting on its behalf committed any offense under U.S. laws in this case.” Stewart is expected to serve only 13 years for treason. Numerous individuals have been investigated on allegations of spying for Israel, with many investigations closed prematurely. Individuals include Jonathan Pollard, Richard Perle, Douglas Feith, Ben-Ami Kadish, David A. Tenenbaum, and Larry Franklin. The Mossad operatives who run spies are never pursued.

Yona Meztger, Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, has recently called for Jonathan Pollard’s release. Prime Minister Netanyahu even granted Pollard Israeli citizenship while Pollard served his jail sentence in the United States. In spring 2011, two-thirds of Israeli parliamentarians even had the gall to petition the U.S. Embassy for Pollard’s release from U.S. prison. In spring 2012, both the Israeli Prime Minister and President appealed directly to the U.S. President for Pollard’s release.

In a rare display of backbone, Defense Secretary Panetta actually defended the United States’ decision to keep Pollard incarcerated for the duration of his term. “There is a great deal of opposition to the release of Pollard that goes back to the fact that obviously he was convicted as a spy,” Panetta mustered. “And I think for that reason the President and others have indicated that the position of the United States is not to release him.”

Mossad operatives have no problem obtaining secrets, given the following figures: roughly 854,000 U.S. citizens possess top-secret security clearances; an estimated 2,000 distinct companies perform classified work for the U.S. government; and numerous U.S. citizens within the Intelligence Community look upon Israel through religious lenses, which is a helpful lever often pulled by Mossad.

Even Fox News, which is typically taciturn on all issues that put Israel under the microscope, couldn’t ignore Israel’s espionage against the United States. In November of 2001, Fox News journalist Carl Cameron reported nearly 200 Israeli operatives were rounded up by U.S. counterterrorism officials in years leading up to 11 September 2001. This is by no means an implication of the Israeli government in the 9/11 attacks, but it is a clear sign that Israel strives daily to obtain the industrial, Executive, intelligence and military secrets of the United States.

Modern efforts to spy on the United States are part of a storied Israeli history, which shows little regard for the welfare of its target. In 1954, Israeli operatives (read: terrorists) bombed U.S. diplomatic buildings throughout Egypt in Operation Susannah. This false-flag attack was designed to trick the United States into war with Egypt, serving Israel’s regional interests. In 2005, much to the disgust of the international community, Israeli President Moshe Katsav presented nine of the surviving operatives with certificates of appreciation for their work. Other instances of Zionism’s history of manipulation and terrorism include bombing the King David Hotel in 1946; attacking the USS Liberty in 1967; murdering Rachel Corrie and Furkan Dogan, both of whom were U.S. citizens; and posing as CIA personnel when recruiting Iranian operatives. Such cheek knows no equal on the international stage.

Criticism of Israel is necessary from a U.S. standpoint. Current levels of U.S. generosity towards Israel are foolish, wasteful, and unsustainable, considering other places where taxpayer money could be allocated. Fortunately, all such policies are amendable: the billions of dollars given to Israel each year, the United States’ perpetuation of regional conflict by feeding the IDF weaponry, and protecting Israel from justifiable international criticism through using United Nations Security Council veto power. Criticism of U.S. unconditional support for Israel can only commence in earnest through access to these facts. In this respect, the United States needs to join the world community. All other nations, unaffected by AIPAC’s ferocity, although rife with their own Zionist lobbies, have greater abilities to see clearly.

Christian Sorensen for Media Roots.

The next installments in this series will further examine the protection of Israeli colonialism by United States federal, state, and local governments.

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Photo by Flickr user Secretary of Defense.