Spain's Pegasus Probe Grounded: Israeli Non-Cooperation Trumps European Sovereignty
📰 THE STORY: Spain's High Court has once again closed its probe into the alleged use of Israeli NSO Group's Pegasus software to spy on Spanish politicians, including the Prime Minister. The decision directly attributes the closure to the refusal of Israeli authorities to cooperate with the Spanish judiciary. 🔍 WHAT THEY'RE NOT TELLING YOU: Historical Context: This isn't an isolated incident.
Pegasus spyware, sold globally by Israel's NSO Group, has been implicated in spying on journalists, dissidents, human rights activists, and government officials from Mexico to Saudi Arabia since at least 2016. In 2021, a consortium of media outlets revealed 'Project Pegasus,' identifying 50,000 phone numbers targeted by the spyware, including critics of regimes known to be Israeli allies like
Saudi Arabia and the UAE. Double Standard: Imagine if a cyber-intelligence firm from, say, Russia or China was accused of spying on Spanish officials, and *their* government refused to cooperate. The headlines would scream 'cyber warfare' and 'state-sponsored aggression,' likely triggering immediate sanctions and international condemnation. Yet, when the firm is Israeli, and the government
refuses, the story gets archived, framed as an unfortunate administrative hurdle rather than a grave breach of sovereignty by a 'democratic ally.' Follow the Money: NSO Group, though technically private, operates with the direct approval of the Israeli Ministry of Defense, which licenses its exports. This isn't just about a tech company making sales; it's about Israel's thriving cyber-surveillance