CIA Calls Israel Main US Regional Spy ThreatStephen Lendman, Contributor He told his superiors. It happened to Washingtons previous station chief. It wasnt coincidental. It showed that allies spy on each other. Israeli intelligence spies on its US counterparts. A CIA official in Israel discovered the food in (his) refrigerator had been rearranged. Washington blames Israels security services for these incidents. It shows whats well known but ignored publicly. Netanyahu spokesman Mark Regev claims Israel does not spy on the United States of America. He lied. Israel spies every day in every way it thinks it can get away with. Before 9/11, the FBI uncovered a massive US-based spy ring. Israel ran it, and it remains active. In the process, it betrays America. Numerous Israeli citizens are involved. They have close ties to foreign military, criminal and intelligence sources. They reportedly breached US law enforcement wiretaps earlier. In 2011, former CIA counterintelligence specialist/military intelligence officer Philip Giraldiaccused Israel of stealing everything it gets its hands on. It includes military and industrial secrets. Its called Foreign Economic Collection and Industrial Espionage. In 2005, it said: Proprietary commercial and industrial information is also stolen. Israel recruits spies. They use electronic methods. They hack into computers for information. Washingtons Government Accountability Office (GAO) said Israel conducts the most aggressive espionage operation against the United States of any US ally. The Pentagon accused Israel of actively engag(ing) in military and industrial espionage in the United States. An Israeli citizen working in the US who has access to proprietary information is likely to be a target of such espionage. FBI whistleblower John Cole said Justice Department officials ordered dozens of Israeli espionage cases dropped. At issue was political pressure. Washington gives Israel billions of dollars annually in aid, the latest weapons and technology, and numerous other special privileges. In return, it steals US state and civilian secrets. Despite close US/Israeli ties, US national security officials consider Israel to be, at times, a frustrating ally and a genuine counterintelligence threat. AP stopped short of explaining how Israel menaces regional and global nations. Its nuclear armed and dangerous. It has stockpiles of chemical and biological weapons. In his 1991 book, The Samson Option: Israels Nuclear Arsenal and American Foreign Policy,Seymour Hersh explained its strategy to launch a massive nuclear counterattack if survival is threatened. Other analysts say the same thing. AP focused on compromised intelligence. It said Israel was also implicated in U.S. criminal espionage cases and disciplinary proceedings against CIA officers and blamed in the presumed death of an important spy in Syria for the CIA during the administration of President George W. Bush. The CIA considers Israel its No. 1 counterintelligence threat in the agencys Near East Division. It oversees regional spying. It protects national secrets from spies. It believes other regional states pose less of an intelligence threat than Israel. It uses highly sophisticated professional services. In terms of technical capability and human resources, it rivals Americas best. It has access to the highest US political, military, and intelligence sources. Despite close ties, disagreements exist. Former CIA officer Joseph Wippl called it a complicated relationship. They have their interests. We have our(s). For the US, its a balancing act. Other countries closely watch how Washington characterizes its relationship with Israel. Ahead of November elections, expect nary a discouraging word to be heard openly. Mitt Romney hyperbole claims otherwise. He criticized Obamas shabby treatment. Appealing to Jewish voters, he said Israelis deserve better. On July 30, Haaretz called his Jerusalem speech his voice but Netanyahus words. A select, extremely friendly, audience was underwhelmed. One observer said this happens when a weak American leader is forced to make unnecessarily controversial remarks in order to project a sense of strength he or she doesnt naturally exude. His weakness masquerades as strength. Obamas essentially the same, but he delivers his lines better. Both men, their handlers, and hangers on infuriate Palestinians and others by spurning them. Earlier this year, Obama said Washington and Israel never had closer military and intelligence cooperation. Israeli Washington spokesman Lior Weintraub affirmed his countrys close ties to America. He called APs report false, saying: CIA officials declined comment. Tensions remain strained. The National Security Agency (NSA) keeps close tabs on Israel. Reagans trust but verify comment applies. Washingtons mindful of Israels belligerence. It doesnt want to be caught napping if it attacks a neighbor without its knowledge. Matthew Aid wrote The Secret Sentry: The Untold History of the National Security Agency.He said America began spying on Israel before 1948. Hebrew linguists now monitor intercepted communications. Israel isnt Washingtons most trusted ally. Select others have that distinction. They include Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand. They share intelligence and agree not to spy on each other. Israel has second-tier status. Its called Friends on Friends, it comes from the phrase Friends dont spy on Friends. The arrangement dates back decades. Israels Mossad and Shin Bet are suspected of recruiting US officials and trying to steal American secrets. Earlier, two female CIA officers were fired for having unreported Israeli contacts. One admitted a relationship with an Israeli Foreign Ministry official. Jonathan Pollards case is well known. In 1987, he was convicted of spying for Israel. He got life in prison. Israel wants him released. Netanyahu applies pressure. Disingenuously he called Israels action wrong and wholly unacceptable. CIA officials wonder how many more Pollards now spy today. Theyre wary. Former US Naval Criminal Investigative Service official Ronald Olive said a task force was formed to learn what Pollard took. Israel was uncooperative. Little was revealed. It represented a speck in the sand. In 2008, former Army mechanical engineer Ben-Ami Kadish pled guilty to giving Israel classified information in the 1980s. In 2006, a former Defense Department analyst got 12 years in prison for supplying Israel and two pro-Israeli lobbyists with state secrets. The CIA ranks world intelligence agencies on their willingness to help Americas war on terror. Earlier, Israel fell below Libya. With friends like these, who needs enemies. Israel gets virtually anything it wants from Washington. At times in return its cooperative. Other times it offers little. Sometime friends arent reliable. Those in need are friends indeed. Obama claims an unshakable commitment to Israel. Its not reciprocated in kind. CIA officials still bristle over the disappearance of a Syrian scientist who during the Bush administration was the CIAs only spy inside Syrias military program to develop chemical and biological weapons. He gave the agency extraordinary information about pathogens used in the program. Former US officials confirmed it. Although the agency never formally concluded that Israel was responsible, CIA officials complained about Israelis leaking information to pressure Syria to abandon the program. Its officials learned who had access to the sensitive information and eventually identified the scientist as a traitor. Before he disappeared and was presumed killed, he told his CIA contact that Syrian Military Intelligence fingered him. On July 29, Mossad-connected DEBKAfile (DF) headlined An ill wind blows between US and Israeli intelligence over attack on Iran, saying that tensions between two allies heightened over AP saying the CIA considers Israel its main regional counterintelligence threat. DF claims leaked information AP reported came ahead of Romneys Israeli visit. At issue was deterring him from using it to review Jonathan Pollards life sentence if elected. At the CIAs behest, all previous presidents refused. DF also said it relates to CIA agents looking for any information relating to Israel potentially attacking Irans nuclear facilities unilaterally. DFs Washington sources say watch out for October. Its mentioned as a possible strike month. Obama officials allegedly want Israel restrained but arent sure they can do it. On July 14, US National Security Advisor Tom Donilon visited Israel. He learned that Netanyahu is close to decision day on Iran. He hasnt yet picked a date. Whether its so or bluster isnt known. Israeli saber rattling is notorious. So is Americas. Anything made public raises suspicions. Aggressors dont warn targets about imminent attacks and name likely dates. On August 1, Defense Secretary Leon Panetta heads to Israel. He wont learn more than other administration officials before him. Netanyahu is tight-lipped. DFs Western intelligence sources say the CIA maintains an extensive network of operatives in Israel. As a result, tensions between the two allies remain strained. Will Israel unilaterally attack Iran? Dont bet on it. Its history suggests otherwise. Going to war needs US approval. Circumventing its paymaster partner risks trouble. One day what joined both nations together could turn the relationship asunder. Harming Washingtons regional interests could trigger it. Israel may be aggressive, but its not stupid. On issues as important as war, both nations are partnered on which way theyll go. You can support this information by voting on Reddit HERE Stephen Lendman lives in Chicago and can be reached at lendmanstephen@sbcglobal.net.His new book is titled How Wall Street Fleeces America: Privatized Banking, Government Collusion and Class WarAlso visit his blog site at sjlendman.blogspot.com and listen to cutting-edge discussions with distinguished guests on the Progressive Radio News Hour on the Progressive Radio Network Thursdays at 10AM US Central time and Saturdays and Sundays at noon. All programs are archived for easy listening. http://www.progressiveradionetwork.com/the-progressive-news-hour/ 