Two Israeli intelligence officers are none too pleased with the alleged leaking of intel by Donald Trump to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov, one saying it is their “worst fears confirmed.” The unnamed sources made the comments today to Buzzfeed.
“We have an arrangement with America which is unique to the world of intelligence sharing. We do not have this relationship with any other country,” said the officer, who spoke to BuzzFeed News on condition of anonymity as he was not granted permission to speak to the press.
“There is a special understanding of security cooperation between our countries,” they said. “To know that this intelligence is shared with others, without our prior knowledge? That is, for us, our worst fears confirmed.”
One of the sources had previously shared with Buzzfeed their concern that Trump would leak sensitive information to Russia. The leak in question concerned Israeli intel on an ISIS plot to smuggle laptops loaded with explosives onto airplanes. The information was shared by Israel with the U.S. under a special intel sharing relationship between the two countries. A relationship that is apparently now under strain.
“There has to be trust for this sort of arrangement. I cannot speak for Israel’s entire security apparatus, but I would not trust a partner who shared intelligence without coordinating it with us first,” said the officer.
Whether the alleged breach of trust will have lasting ramifications on US-Israeli relations remains to be seen. Stay tuned.
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