Israel rejects claims that Mossad backed nationwide protests

Authorities denies claims in leaked paperwork that its intelligence service inspired Israelis to hitch mass demonstrations.

Israel’s authorities has rejected claims raised in paperwork allegedly leaked from the Pentagon that leaders of its overseas intelligence service, Mossad, had supported nationwide protests towards a proposed overhaul of Israel’s judiciary.

The New York Occasions on Saturday printed an evaluation it attributed to a central intelligence replace from March 1 that Mossad management had inspired its employees and Israeli residents to hitch the mass protests. The newspaper stated that whereas the leaked paperwork appeared genuine, it didn’t imply they had been correct.

The workplace of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated in a press release Sunday that the report was “mendacious and with none basis in anyway”.

“The Mossad and its senior officers didn’t – and don’t – encourage company personnel to hitch the demonstrations towards the federal government, political demonstrations or any political exercise,” it stated.

Netanyahu’s plans for a judicial overhaul have sparked unprecedented public anger since his coalition of hard-right and non secular events got here to energy late final 12 months and has additionally brought on alarm amongst Israel’s Western allies.

The proposed laws would allow parliament to override Supreme Court docket selections and management judicial appointments.

After weeks of intensifying demonstrations, Netanyahu in late March relented and stated he would delay the contested reforms to permit for talks with opposition events.

The US Division of Justice stated on Friday that it was in contact with the Division of Protection and had begun an investigation into the alleged leak of the paperwork, which cowl a number of topics regarding nationwide safety. It declined additional remark.