Atlanta, USA (CNN) – Former Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu denied a New York Times report that he interfered to ensure that Saudi Arabia would be able to use the Pegasus spyware, contradicting the Israeli Defense Ministry’s decision not to renew the export license for the software factory. , NSO Group.
A report by the American newspaper said that the Saudi Crown Prince, Mohammed bin Salman, phoned Netanyahu to ask him not to abide by the decision of the Ministry of Defense, which referred to Saudi Arabia’s misuse of the program.
In a lengthy report on the company’s involvement with the governments of several countries around the year in espionage operations, the newspaper says that Netanyahu was eager to meet the Saudi Crown Prince’s request because Saudi Arabia was part of his plan to secure a deal in order to normalize relations with Arab countries.
In a statement published Friday, the former prime minister’s office said: “The claim that Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke with leaders of world countries and offered them these programs in exchange for political or other achievements, is nothing but a sheer lie.”
The statement added: “Sales of these devices or other products to Israeli companies, to foreign countries, are carried out with the approval and supervision of the Ministry of Defense, in accordance with Israeli law,” according to the statement.