Israel accused of spying on US forces monitoring Gaza ceasefire

Israeli spies have been monitoring US forces and allied personnel inside a newly established American base in the country’s south, triggering serious concerns over unauthorised surveillance and intelligence gathering, The Guardian reported on Monday.

According to The Guardian both open and covert recording reportedly took place at the Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) which is monitoring the so-called Gaza ceasefire.

The extent of the monitoring reportedly forced the US base commander, Lt Gen Patrick Frank, to summon an Israeli official and make clear that “recording has to stop here”. Staff and visiting representatives from other countries also expressed alarm about Israel’s actions, with warnings issued to avoid sharing sensitive information inside the facility over fears it could be collected and exploited.

The incident once again highlights Israel’s track record of spying on even its closest allies, including the United States, most infamously in the Jonathan Pollard espionage case which saw him pass vast amounts of classified material to Israel while working as a US Navy analyst.

The scale of the breach shocked American intelligence officials and exposed how Israel was willing to spy aggressively even on its most powerful ally.