Man Sentenced to 4.5 Years for Spying for Iran, Photographing Defense Minister's Home

A Haifa District Court has sentenced Fares Abu Al-Hija, 32, to 55 months in prison for espionage activities on behalf of Iran. He was convicted of contacting a foreign agent after carrying out several missions under Iranian direction, including photographing the home of former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. In addition to the prison sentence, Abu Al-Hija received 24 months of probation and a fine of 10,000 shekels.

The court deemed his actions a severe security offense, significantly harming national security, governmental mechanisms, and public peace. According to the indictment, Abu Al-Hija communicated via Telegram between October 2025 and January 2026 with an individual identifying as 'Martin.' He performed six missions for 'Martin,' receiving thousands of dollars transferred through the Binance app. The indictment notes that he continued these activities even after suspecting he was dealing with a foreign agent, and chose not to investigate this suspicion.

His tasks escalated over time. Abu Al-Hija acquired and hid cell phones and chargers in Haifa and Kiryat Haim, installed communication applications, and documented their hiding places. He also left an envelope containing a crypto account access code and 50 shekels under a vase in Zichron Yaakov, and photographed a Tel Aviv cafe from both inside and outside. Payments for these missions ranged from $200 to $1,000.

The final mission involved former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. 'Martin' provided Abu Al-Hija with four locations in the village of Amikam, near Gallant's home, instructing him to photograph the streets and the surrounding area. On January 21, Abu Al-Hija went to the location, took photos and videos, and sent them to his handler. He was arrested shortly thereafter in Amikam. Gallant was not at home at the time.

The case gained attention in light of previous threats against Gallant, which had previously led to his urgent evacuation from his home under Shin Bet guidance. The court concluded that the operations were aimed at gathering intelligence on Israel, and their potential damage was high, even if no actual harm was proven.