Israel 'spied on Kerry during peace talks'

[jakeXT]

Source: AFP

Berlin (AFP) - Israel eavesdropped on US Secretary of State John Kerry during doomed peace talks with the Palestinians last year, German news weekly Der Spiegel reported Sunday.

The article said the Israelis and at least one other secret service listened in on Kerry's conversations as he tried to mediate, in a development that Der Spiegel said was likely to further strain ties between Israel and the United States.

Kerry regularly spoke by telephone with high-ranking officials throughout the Middle East during the negotiations that finally collapsed earlier this year.

Spiegel, which cited "several sources among secret services", said that he used not only secure lines but also normal telephones with satellite connections which were vulnerable to tapping.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/israel-spied-kerry-during-peace-talks-102514934.html

[CanonRay]

1. We're not really going to complain about somebody else spying on us, are we?

Talk about not having the high moral ground...

[atreides1]

2. Was thinking the same thing

We lost the moral high ground after 9/11...

[Dustlawyer]

6. ...and the NSA revelations.

[iandhr]

8. This is a pot meet kettle thing.

They complained about our spying on them.

[Fred Sanders]

15. Because it is Israel, right, and they can do any kind of crime....so very special are they?

[iandhr]

23. It's because

we did the same thing to them it would be hypocritical for us to call them out.as I noted earlier in this thread it's a pot meet kettle thing.

[dixiegrrrrl]

3. There is, perhaps, an opportunity to make political hay from that

but surely the Admin. knows that phone tapping happens..they can't be THAT naive.

[George II]

4. I can't think of a single country that doesn't spy on just about every other country in the world...

....wouldn't even be surprised if Switzerland spies on their neighbors.

And I doubt that Kerry, et. al. were too concerned he wasn't using a secured telephone.

[Iliyah]

5. Ditto

[daleo]

18. I don't agree - spy agencies cost a lot of money

Most countries simply cannot afford vast security state agencies that span the globe. It's a luxury only rich states can afford and only empires have much need for. The spying that small nations carry out is carefully targeted or is piggybacked on, via the powerful nations with which they are allied.

[elias49]

7. We spy on some folks too...nt

[Zambero]

9. Shoe is on the other foot

No surprises here. I'm sure we spy on them, day in and day out, as we have routinely done with other allies and foes alike, and even our own U.S. Senate.

[riqster]

10. "My", said the pot to the kettle: "how sadly dark and grimy is your arse."

[Fred Sanders]

13. Two grimy asses means no one is clean, both pots need cleaning.

[Fred Sanders]

11. This is rich. Bestest friend in the world, provider and protector to Israel, spies on America's

top diplomat! And the spying is defended......because...... everyone does it?

(Hyperbole warning to those that never notice, next


When Israel drops an atomic bomb on America, is America going to be good with that too?

Your best friend peeking in the window....no problem, good buddy! Have another missile!

And during the peace talks that emerged after Hamas and the Palestinian authority united and peace talks could begin, no way Bibi can tolerate that. He prefers the "quiet" of screaming and terrified women and children slaughtered as they sleep.

Israel never wanted the unification, the current government does not peace, they want prisoners, they want the prisoners to jump into the sea or be ghettosized until they wish they would.

Israel....the world piranha of nations. Supported by billions of your tax dollars.

How the Israel apologists spin this one is going to be delightful.

[George II]

12. Interesting "source"!

It's from Yahoo.com commenting on an article from Agence France-Presse that references an article from Der Speigel!

[L0oniX]

14. Spies are just folks too.

[TwilightGardener]

16. I find it hard to believe that the Secretary of State doesn't always have

a secure line. Does the President/VP? Does the SoD?

[daleo]

20. Secure from whom?

I expect the CIA snoops on those people. After that, any leak is possible. There are bound to be multiple agendas, often working at cross purposes.

[Liberalagogo]

17. IOKWIDI

/s

[Festivito]

19. Sometimes you use unsecured lines on purpose.

Or, as in the case of Bush I a secure line you know has been broken. As when he said to one of our embassies that we, the US, has no concern over middle east incursions giving Sadam a hint that it taking Kuwait would be okay.

[Ash_F]

22. I was going to make a crack about the NSA, but 10 people beat me to it.

I need to click on these threads faster.

[JDPriestly]

24. Israel has fantastic technical expertise.

It wouldn't surprise me if they can snoop on "secure" lines. I suspect they are that good. That is why I am not so critical of their attacks on Palestine. Their intelligence is not perfect but it is really sharp.

Snooping on other countries for self-defense is not to be criticized.

Snooping on a diplomat who is trying to negotiate peace for your country is about as low as you can get.

Whoops! Almost forgot. Snooping on your own ordinary citizens without a warrant in violation of your Constitution is even lower. The US cannot criticize any other country or person for illegal surveillance because we do it all the time.

But the UN certainly could condemn this surveillance and should.

[kelliekat44]

25. Israel spies on most of our government officials here and abroad. Remember how they helped with the

Lewinsky tapes? A lot of our intel technology was made either by them or for them. If you have Intel you are vulnerable.

I wish the UN would stop giving the hospital and refugee coordinates to Israel thinking it will keep them safe. It appears Israel is using the data to select targets.

[BillZBubb]

26. Is anyone surprised by this?

I would be more shocked if it came out they didn't spy on him.

[Psephos]

27. I thought this forum was for news. n/t

[Aerows]

29. LOL!

Excellent comment

[JI7]

28. pretty sure Obama, KErry and others already knew