WASHINGTON: The White House instructed US spies to eavesdrop on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other top Israeli officials earlier this year in an effort to counter campaigning against the Iran nuclear deal, despite promising to curtail listening in on foreign leaders,
The National Security Agency’s spying dragnet was cast so wide it caught conversations Netanyahu and other Israeli leaders had with US officials and Jewish American leaders, leading to what one source called an “oh shit moment,” when the extent became clear according to the report, which cites several current and former US officials .
According to the report, the White House learned through the spying how “how Mr. Netanyahu and his advisers had leaked details of the US-Iran negotiations learned through Israeli spying operations to undermine the talks; coordinated talking points with Jewish-American groups against the deal; and asked undecided lawmakers what it would take to win their votes.”
When confronted about leaking confidential details from the talks to US lawmakers, Israelis rebuffed the allegations, according to the report. (Times of Israel)