WSJ: Secret intelligence agreement between the US and Israel sparks concerns

The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported that a secret agreement to increase intelligence sharing between the US and Israel has led to growing concerns that the Washington administration is contributing to civilian deaths in Gaza.

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WSJ: Secret intelligence agreement between the US and Israel sparks concerns

US officials stated that shortly after October 7, 2023, a secret agreement was reached between the US and Israel to enhance their intelligence network. It was also noted that the US increased its intelligence activities regarding Gaza during the same period.

Although officials stated that the information shared under the secret agreement must be used in accordance with international law and in a way that does not cause civilian casualties or damage infrastructure, it cannot be verified for what purpose and in what manner Israel uses the intelligence provided by the US.

This situation increases concerns that the US is contributing to Israeli attacks that lead to civilian casualties in Gaza.

'DATA' CONFUSION

US officials argued that the primary purpose of providing intelligence is to rescue hostages held by Hamas and to prevent potential attacks against Israel.

Stating that intelligence, such as "raw" footage taken from Gaza by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), is shared with Israel, officials noted that it is difficult to determine how Israel uses this information after combining it with its own data.

UNPRECEDENTED COORDINATION

Israeli Military Spokesperson Daniel Hagari said that in his 30 years of service in the Israeli army, the level of intelligence and military cooperation between Israel and the US has never been higher.

Hagari stated, "We are in an unprecedented level of intelligence coordination."

Jason Crow, a member of the US House of Representatives and the Intelligence Committee, stated that the intelligence shared with Israel does not align with US national values and security interests.

Crow noted that he had met separately with a high-ranking Israeli military official and US intelligence officials, and that there were "quite large discrepancies" in the two sides' explanations regarding civilian casualties.

News Source: AA