SpyTalk

US-ISRAELI SPY WARS

May 17, 2024

Exploring the delicate balance of cooperation and espionage in US-Israel intelligence ties. Unraveling key incidents like the Pollard affair and Snowden's revelations. Discussing Israel's electronic surveillance capabilities and intelligence dynamics on Hamas. Highlighting the friendly relationship tempered with cautious trust in espionage operations.

23:41

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Quick takeaways

Despite being close allies, US and Israel engage in mutual surveillance due to lack of complete trust.

Israel is shifting towards electronic intelligence gathering with complex tactics in competitive sectors.

Deep dives

US-Israel Intelligence Relationship

The podcast delves into the complex intelligence relationship between the US and Israel. Despite being close allies, both nations engage in mutual surveillance due to a lack of complete trust. The historical context of spying incidents like the Pollard affair showcases the intricate dynamics of this contradictory yet essential information sharing.

Introduction

4min

The Intricate Web of US-Israeli Intelligence Relations

8min

Exploring Israel's Electronic Surveillance Capabilities

3min

US-Israel Intelligence Dynamics on Hamas

6min

Espionage Dynamics Between US and Israel Explored

3min

There are friendly nations, but no friendly intelligence services, goes an old saw in the spy business. What that means in practicality is that we have close intelligence relationships with our allies, but in many cases, we also spy on each other, not entirely trusting what they’re telling us. In no place is this convoluted arrangement better exemplified than the security relationship between US and Israel, who have a long history of snooping on each other while closely working together on mutual targets, like Iran and its allied militias, like Hezbollah in Lebanon, the Houthis in Yemen, and now, Hamas in Gaza.

Here to discuss that with me today is my old friend and colleague Jonathan Broder. He’s been in and out of the Middle East for decades, in particular Israel, whose struggles and wars he began covering many decades ago as a foreign correspondent for the Associated Press and Chicago Tribune based in Tel Aviv. He’s also been a foreign policy editor and writer for Congressional Quarterly and Newsweek, and today we’re blessed to have him as a contributing editor at SpyTalk, where he’s written a number of shrewd pieces since the Hamas invasion of Israel last Oct. 7.

Jonathan Broder
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