Saudi ties with Israeli intelligence, tech industry are targeted at weak moments for Trump, Crown Prince and PM

It was only a matter of time before someone tied the Khashoggi murder affair to Israel. And so, on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at moments of weakness for President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince MbS and PM Binyamin Netanyahu, The Wall Street Journal brought Saudi ties with Israeli intelligence and tech systems firms into play.

The WSJ first noted that Saudi Dep. Intelligence chief Gen. Ahmadal-Assiri and court adviser Saud al-Qahtani, – both close advisers to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, (MbS) – who played key roles in the covert ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel, were sacked over their suspected involvement in the journalist Jamal Khashoggi’s death at the Istanbul consulate on October 2.
The paper notes suggestively that Qahtani, as media adviser, directed the Saudi press to soften Israel’s image compared with its long portrayal as the Zionist enemy, and managed the purchase of “advanced surveillance technology from Israeli firms,” to serve his second role in “monitoring critics and stifling dissent in Saudi Arabia, which included the hacking of electronic communications.”

Saudi officials told the paper that Qahtani had “sought out software made by Israeli spyware maker NSO Group and its affiliate, Q CyberTechnology, which began providing the kingdom cyber surveillance tools last year in a $55 million deal.” One official is quoted as saying, “Qahtani was the key player in all of this… He wanted the best and he knew that Israeli firms offered the best.”

Although no facts are presented as evidence that the two senior Saudi officials used Israeli technology to track Khashoggi, or that any Israeli was implicated even indirectly in the affair, the WSJ writes suggestively that the sidelining of the two officials suspected in the Khashoggi murder has had a negative impact on Saudi-Israeli ties. Another casualty has been the Trump Mid East peace plan, which hinged on the crown prince’s growing affinity with Israel.

Although the crown prince is confirmed by various sources to be safe in the saddle after the Khashoggi affair (including The New York Times on Monday), the WSJ speaks of his “diminished role” in the wake of the murder, and reports that King Salman, who has taken “a more active role in government” in its aftermath “has been more adverse to warmer ties with Israel than his 33-year old son, recently describing resolving the Palestinian plight with Israel as the kingdom’s foremost priority in the region.”

This report appeared shortly after the US Treasury imposed sanctions for the first time on a senior IDF general. Maj. Gen. (res.) Israel Ziv was accused of serious charges, which he has flatly denied, of selling weapons both to the South Sudanese government and its opposition, thereby stirring up the conflict to boost his sales of arms.

In one week, therefore, a senior Israeli army officer, intelligence officials and technology companies find they are under attack for their ties with Saudi Arabia and in one case, Africa.

This assault comes at a time that President Donald Trump, Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu, each for different reasons, are undergoing debilitating political and personal crises, and, moreover, shortly before the Democrats take over a majority of the US House of Representatives next month.

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39 thoughts on “Saudi ties with Israeli intelligence, tech industry are targeted at weak moments for Trump, Crown Prince and PM

  • Dec 18, 2018 @ 21:01 at 21:01
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    The Wall Street Journal is the voice of radicalized Liberals.
    Ok, shit happens, and we have to live with it,
    But, what do we learn from here?
    We learn to never ever underestimate the destructive power of Liberalism.
    Liberalism drives conflicts into wars, but then tells you “this enemy who’s charging towards you to kill you, he’s a suffering and uneducated poor, he might be yo friend”.
    Or even worst, it tells you “give your enemy one billion dollars, and you are a great guy”.

    • Dec 18, 2018 @ 21:27 at 21:27
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      SNAP! Holy red hot Smokin’ Cannons!

      Netanyahu, you refuse to share tunnels info with WSJ??????????
      You will not pose for a picture with shovel in hand at the tunnel exit?????????
      This WSJ retribution is fully deserved!

      —————————–> This is William Teller and I’m on Prozac. Netanyahu must go!

      • Dec 19, 2018 @ 1:59 at 1:59
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        Who cares what **Just Another Leftist** thinks?

        • Dec 20, 2018 @ 5:39 at 5:39
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          “Who cares” you say? If you get your head out of the sand you will see the damage the left is doing to the relationships between Trump, the Saudi’s and Israel.

    • Dec 18, 2018 @ 22:07 at 22:07
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      This hanky-panky Wall Street Journal has no comments at all on the Lebanon tunnels. Hard to believe, yet true, Liberals did it again! They Liberals are dangerous, this is common knowledge, but this new species of Radicalized Liberals is truly scary.

      But, wait a little …. Wall Street? Ah, of course, a financial sharks journal ! Their real issue is profits from China, S&P, Nasdaq, things like this. True Anti-Americans and they dare to talk of Trump. What a joke!

    • Dec 19, 2018 @ 1:10 at 1:10
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      If you don’t like the facts, attack the source. Great way to stay ignorant.

      “And so, on Tuesday, Dec. 18, at moments of weakness for President Donald Trump…”

      Every day is a moment of weakness for Trump. Lol

      • Dec 19, 2018 @ 2:01 at 2:01
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        Every day is “another attack by the Leftist Media against” Trump.
        There, fixed it for ya!

        • Dec 19, 2018 @ 2:34 at 2:34
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          POOR DEFENSELESS DOUBLE-AGENT DONNIE. YEAH, I FEEL REAL SORRY FOR HIM. DOUBLE YOUR DAILY DOSAGE AND THEN YOU WILL SEE THE LYING THIEF FOR WHAT HE IS.

    • Dec 19, 2018 @ 11:14 at 11:14
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      Exact, I would add that this kindness the liberals promote to the enemy that wants to kill you, is racially oriented.
      Only “non-civilized” ennemies, blacks, arabs, muslims, are concerned. Liberals see them as children, not responsible for their acts, liberals are racist in a perverse way.

    • Dec 19, 2018 @ 12:41 at 12:41
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      Explain to me how Rupert Murdoch a conservative owner of Fox is running a liberal newspaper?

    • Dec 19, 2018 @ 17:15 at 17:15
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      It certainly explains why America is withdrawing from Syria Today. Syria is not America’s fight. It will now be mainly Russia’s Herd of Cats, Czar Vlad will be every bit as effective as the Soviets were in Afghanistan. America’s withdrawal will most certainly raise the costs of continuing Middle East adventures for the Russians and Iranians to deal with ISIS and continue to drain their resources that neither can afford. Perhaps Iranians and Russians will suffer losses that the Mullahs will decide that the gain against Israel is not worth the costs.

      Still, the America-Israeli-Arab Coalition will always have Elements of Unification with the Power, Innovations, and Geo-Political Resources. While the Iranian-Syria-Russian Troika will always require more Resources than they have to sustain any Conflict over any worthy period of time.

      Finally, America is not wanted or needed in Syria but can keep supplying the Northern Kurds with sufficient Forces on the ground to Fight ISIS and stay Independent among ts Local Communities. Whereby there is no consistency or strategy discernible from this move, but the Kurds are not going away. They will keep staying and rise for another day.

  • Dec 18, 2018 @ 21:32 at 21:32
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    Anyway ,it was an abject crime.

    • Dec 18, 2018 @ 23:36 at 23:36
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      Some Muslims cut the people in pieces, others are preparing tunnels to attack and cut people in pieces, some others do knife attacks in Europe as well, and then there is Boko Haram, and many many others. Crime is growing up everywhere.

      • Dec 19, 2018 @ 9:31 at 9:31
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        Last i heard israel gov and journalists said mbs is a moderate young person and we must help him to make the region more stable.
        This is the most bullshit thing ever heard from israel

  • Dec 18, 2018 @ 22:49 at 22:49
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    TWO MUCH CAMEL PRICK JUICE FOR THE LIBTARDS @WSJ. THE WSJ LOVES MUDSLIMES MORE THAN I LOVE CERDITOS EN MI ANO!

    Grrr…

    • Dec 19, 2018 @ 2:05 at 2:05
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      Filth from a mind of filth………………………………………..^^^^^^^^^^^^

      • Dec 19, 2018 @ 2:34 at 2:34
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        AGREE WITH YOU PROZAC-BOY!!

        • Dec 19, 2018 @ 2:44 at 2:44
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          SHUT UP YOU FILTHY SWINE!!! YOU ARE A DISGUSTING CAMEL PRICK JUICE GUZZLER. YOUR SHAMOOTRA MOM HATES YOU.

  • Dec 18, 2018 @ 23:03 at 23:03
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    Only two year old believe in a black and white world or if you prefer liberals and conservatives

    • Dec 19, 2018 @ 2:06 at 2:06
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      Yes, we were all thinking how mature you are…

  • Dec 18, 2018 @ 23:14 at 23:14
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    Nobody can blame anyone for use “anyone’s technology”. You cannot blame guns for killing people. Cars do not kill people, but drunk drivers do kill people. Only PEOPLE kill people. Saudies are killers. Their Communist slogan “Destroy Dissent!” is same slogan as any Communists countries’ slogan.

  • Dec 18, 2018 @ 23:49 at 23:49
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    New York Times is fake news!

  • Dec 19, 2018 @ 2:50 at 2:50
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    Gee. What a shocker that the most reprehensible people on the planet are in league with each other.

    Can you imagine the disgusting sex being had at one Trump Tower or another between Kushner, NuttyYahoo, and the wacky band of Saud family pedophiles?

    Gotta think it’s even money on who supplied the 12 year old boys. In all likelihood, each provided a few and they formed a Jimmy Carrol pig train to consummate the deal.

    Art of the Deal, ya know. Deal of the Century!

    • Dec 19, 2018 @ 3:06 at 3:06
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      YOU HAVE A FERMENTED CAMEL PRICK JUICE PROBLEM, SON. YOU POST RAMBLINGS OF A LOSER WHO HAS DEVELOPED SWISS-CHEESE HOLES IN HIS BRAIN. IT IS TOO LATE FOR YOU!!!

      • Dec 19, 2018 @ 3:45 at 3:45
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        STOP IMPERSONATING ME YOU DIRTY SHAMOOTRA. YOU’RE POSTS ARE TWO STUPID TOO BEE MINE, CAMEL SWALLOWER!!!!!!

  • Dec 19, 2018 @ 4:38 at 4:38
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    This is the craziest comment section I have ever seen. Does anyone monitor this site? Why does every third post reference camels and sex?

    • Dec 19, 2018 @ 4:41 at 4:41
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      That’s all some people know.

    • Dec 19, 2018 @ 8:38 at 8:38
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      @Tal Keinan

      You have seen nothing yet.

    • Dec 19, 2018 @ 16:04 at 16:04
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      Debka would not be the same without Jim Carrol’s weird and wacky camel fetish lol
      Always creative, disturbing and entertaining

      Ausi’s like sheep… and i guess camels are big in the middle east

  • Dec 19, 2018 @ 6:23 at 6:23
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    how odd, for years Saudis buying arms worth billion of Dollars from each and every Western world used to kill tens of Thousands of Yemenis as well as defends Saudi Arabia. Not to mention Western intelligence at the service of Saudis in its war(s) Yet no one cared to report anything or raise a voice. and now petty affair raises hell???? That’s odd, very odd. Seems the bug that the UN has against Israel spread to the Western media……… how hypocrite, how disgusting…….

  • Dec 19, 2018 @ 9:22 at 9:22
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    The Saudis, then, are playing a double game. Behind the scenes, they send the Israelis the message that Iran is a common enemy and goad them to fight Iran and Hizballah. At home, however, they say the enemy is first and foremost the state of Israel, followed by Iran. Their formula is clear: covert ties with Israel coupled with overt hostility to the Jewish state to satisfy the people, a majority of whom hate Israel.

    https://mosaicmagazine.com/picks/2018/07/while-pursuing-a-thaw-with-israel-saudi-arabia-foments-anti-semitism-at-home/?print

  • Dec 19, 2018 @ 13:40 at 13:40
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    Money talks, bullsh!t walks.

  • Dec 19, 2018 @ 16:31 at 16:31
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    “traquer Khashoggi” !?
    Inutile, il avait pris rendez-vous au consulat saoudien….

Comments are closed.