Photo Credit: Pixabay
illustrative

If you live in Israel, it’s very likely you were already under secret surveillance for the past several years – legally, mind you – courtesy of the Israeli government.

Israel’s domestic intelligence agency, the Shin Bet, was authorized a number of years ago under a clandestine program to keep track of most Israeli citizens for at least two and a half years, according to a report broadcast Sunday by Israel’s Channel 13 television news team.

Advertisement




In fact the program, which allowed the intelligence organization access to personal data of most Israelis, was approved by senior Justice Ministry officials. The name of the project was classified, and it may still be in progress, according to the report.

The project bypassed parliamentary oversight and other standard legal authorizations. The approval mechanism for the “black box” program, as it was called, went through a small committee set up in the Ministry of Justice, headed by State Attorney Shai Nitzan. At some point, Attorney General Mandelblit also gave his approval as well.

The program, intended as part of the battle against the Islamic State terrorist organization, was originally approved for a six-month period; it later was extended and continued from there. It is not known whether the project has been discontinued, or not.


Share this article on WhatsApp:
Advertisement

SHARE
Previous articleIDF Reconfigures Forces, Shuts Down Roads on Lebanon Border Anticipating Possible Hezbollah Attack
Next articleFatah Members Quit After Local Secretary Shot by PA Security Forces
Hana Levi Julian is a Middle East news analyst with a degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from Southern Connecticut State University. A past columnist with The Jewish Press and senior editor at Arutz 7, Ms. Julian has written for Babble.com, Chabad.org and other media outlets, in addition to her years working in broadcast journalism.