Israel Police targeted the smartphones of ministry director generals, mayors, CEOs, Avner Netanyahu and other Israelis without a judicial order with NSO's Pegasus spyware, "Calcalist" reports.
According to journalist Tomer Ganon the spyware surveillance was put on the phones of former Ministry of Finance director generals Shai Babad and Keren Terner-Eyal, Ministry of Justice director general Emi Palmor mainly on suspicions that they were leaking information to journalists. Netanya mayor Miriam Feirberg, Mevaseret Zion mayor Yoram Shimon, Kiryat Ata Mayor Yaakov Peretz and Holon Mayor Moti Sasson were also targeted as well as businesspeople Rami Levy, former Bezeq CEO Stella Hendler and former Walla! CEO Ilan Yehoshua and former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's son Avner Netanyahu, and many others including journalists and political protestors.
According to the report the surveillance was sanctioned by former police commissioner Roni Alsheikh, the former deputy head of Shin Bet and under him Yoav Hasan, the commander of the Police SIGINT unit and Yosef Kachlon head of the technologies unit. Hasan and Kachlon joined the police after serving in the IDF's 8200 intelligence unit.
Palmor told Israel Radio, "There is no excuse for this surveillance and I know what it was all about. Spying after me was carried out because I was too critical of the police. I don't see any other possibility. I find it hard to believe in the police and it will be difficult to restore this credibility.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on February 7, 2022.
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