The Israeli Security Agency (Shin Bet) announced that it thwarted an Iranian espionage attempt today, Friday, when it arrested an Iranian Jew who entered Israel with a box of tissues that Shin Bet claimed was being used to conceal a surveillance device. The agency noted that the man, who has relatives in Israel, admitted during interrogation at Ben Gurion Airport that he indeed came to spy on Israeli targets on behalf of Iranian security elements. Additionally, the man was found to have mobile phones, portable phone chargers (power banks), and cash, was prohibited from entering, and was returned to Iran.
Shin Bet stated in a press release, "This incident is part of broader Iranian efforts to establish espionage and terrorism networks in Israel." The Iranian mission to the United Nations in New York did not respond to a request for comment.
In response to a question about why the suspect was expelled instead of being prosecuted, a source told Reuters that it is believed the man acted under pressure and that money motivated his actions, along with other considerations by Shin Bet. The source added that the legal route was deemed "of little value" because the suspect is not an Israeli citizen.
The specter of war between Israel and Iran has loomed for decades, with both parties exchanging accusations of planning sabotage and assassination plots. The World Jewish Congress reported that there were around 80,000 Jews in Iran on the eve of the Islamic Revolution in 1979, most of whom left the country since then, but it is believed that the Jewish community there remains the largest in the Middle East outside of Israel.
