Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has forcefully denied a report that his government most likely carried out a spy operation that placed listening devices around the White House in an effort to spy on his ally President Donald Trump.
The report is a 'blatant lie,' Netanyahu's office said. The prime minister is up for reelection this month, and learned of the report en route to Russia where he was to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
'There is a longstanding commitment, and a directive from the Israeli government not to engage in any intelligence operations in the U.S.,' Israel said in a statement. 'This directive is strictly enforced without exception.'
The statement followed a report by Politico that Israeli was most likely behind the operation placing devices found near the White House and around Washington, D.C. that mimicked cell phone towers.
Former U.S. officials said they were likely to spy on Trump.
The devices, known as StingRays, essentially trick cell phones into providing information about location and identity information, as well as the content of calls and data, according to the report.
{"preview_thumbnail":"https://cdn.flowplayer.com/6684a05f-6468-4ecd-87d5-a748773282a3/i/v-i-7…","video_id":"70f96e6a-c7cd-41b4-8c0c-175519725d87","player_id":"8ca46225-42a2-4245-9c20-7850ae937431","provider":"flowplayer","video":"Hamas Shoots Down Israeli Drone on Way to Rafah"}
The report comes at a sensitive time for Netanyahu, who has benefited from intervention by Trump during previous elections. In March, Trump recognized Israel's sovereignty over the Golan Heights territory it seized during the 1967 war.
The report was sourced to three former U.S. officials, including one who said there the administration imposed no formal consequences for Israel's actions.
That would be a deep contrast to the years-long diplomatic strain that followed the sentencing of Jonathan Pollard, a former U.S. intelligence analyst who pleaded guilty to spying for Israel and who was later granted Israeli citizenship. He was released in 2015 after being given a life sentence.
According to an Axios report, Israeli officials are now considering why the information would be brought up now. The U.S. reached its conclusion about the alleged spying within the last two years. The publication reported Netanyahu consumed the information en route to Sochi for his Putin meeting. The meeting follows Moscow's criticism of his pledge to annex West Bank territory.
This article has been adapted from its original source.
