Israel launches campaign against Iranian recruitment attempts

After more than 35 indictments served against Israeli citizens on suspicions of spying for Iran over the past year, Israel’s National Public Diplomacy Directorate in the Prime Minister’s Office together with the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) launched on Tuesday a national awareness campaign to fight against the growing phenomenon.

The 35 indictments came on the backdrop of the uncovering by the ISA and Israel Police of more than 25 affairs of Israelis recruited by Tehran to carry out various missions across the Jewish state, the PMO’s Directorate said in a statement.

The campaign, titled “Easy Money, Hefty Price,” has two central aims. The first, to raise awareness of the phenomenon and of how easily one can slip into collaboration with the Iranian handlers, often for the sake of financial gain.

The second goal is to emphasize the price of getting caught for serious security offenses under the law, with heavy punishments that can reach up to 15 years in prison.

The statement further read that the campaign was now doubly important in the aftermath of the 12-day war with Iran last month, with the Iranians expected to increase their recruiting attempts of Israelis for additional spying missions.

The public will be exposed to the campaign via radio, leading news websites, and social media, according to the Directorate.

As part of the campaign, citizens are urged to report any suspicious approach, online or otherwise, to the police.

Last week, Israeli prosecutors indicted a 27-year-old resident of the central Israeli city of Be’er Ya’akov for alleged espionage on behalf of Iran.

Or Beilin, who was arrested last month, stands accused of performing “missions” to harm Israeli national security at the behest of an Iranian handler who went by the name of “Yoni,” according to local reports.

The suspect is said to have received some $9,000 in cryptocurrency from Tehran for spraying political graffiti; buying and burning Israel Defense Forces uniforms; seeking to purchase a drone; and leaving sums of cash in various public places throughout the country.

On July 3, three Israeli citizens were indicted on charges of carrying out missions for Iranian intelligence, including a foiled plot to assassinate a senior Israeli figure.

According to one of the indictments, Yoni Segal, 18, and Omri Mizrahi, 20, both from Tiberias, maintained contact with Iranian agents from mid-May until their arrest on June 15. The two are accused of gathering intelligence on Israeli shopping malls and hospitals—documenting entrances, security measures and emergency exits at sites in Haifa, Tiberias and Tel Aviv—at the request of their handlers.

Prosecutors allege that Segal and Mizrahi were promised hundreds of thousands of shekels in cryptocurrency and relocation to Iran if they carried out the planned assassination. The suspects were arrested while preparing to travel abroad for weapons training, after which they were to receive their target’s identity.

In a separate case, Mark Morgain, 33, of the Jordan Valley, was indicted for allegedly communicating with Iranian intelligence in June and performing tasks at their direction. Morgain is accused of moving a grenade between locations, knowing it was intended to harm civilians, and of filming for his handlers missile interceptions during the 12-day Israel-Iran war.

Israel on June 13 launched “Operation Rising Lion” in a large-scale surprise attack across Iran, targeting air defense systems, top military brass and nuclear scientists, exacting a heavy blow to the Islamic Republic.

© JNS