Israeli NSC head secretly visits Paris to defuse tensions over Pegasus spyware
Oct 22, 2021
Tel Aviv [Israel], October 22 (ANI/Sputnik): Israel's National Security Adviser Eyal Hulata secretly visited Paris in an attempt to defuse tensions between Israel and France over the alleged use of Pegasus spyware developed by the Israeli firm NSO Group to hack the phones of the French President Emmanuel Macron and other senior French officials, Israeli media reported on Thursday.
After the French government has frozen some diplomatic, security and intelligence ties with Israel amid the crisis, Hulata paid a visit to Paris, where he gave explanations on this matter and presented proposals for resolving the crisis, Israeli news outlet Walla reported.
The international scandal over Pegasus spyware, which is used by the Israeli authorities to spy on terrorists, broke out in July after the media unearthed the results of investigation, according to which the spyware was also used to keep an eye on politicians, businessmen, activists, journalists and opposition figures around the world.
A list of about 50,000 potential surveillance targets worldwide also included presidents of Iraq and South Africa, prime ministers of Pakistan, Egypt and Morocco, and other senior officials. (ANI/Sputnik)