Galilee Man Sentenced to 4.7 Years for Spying for Iran
A Haifa District Court has sentenced Fares Abu Al-Hija, a resident of the Galilee, to 4.7 years in prison for espionage activities on behalf of Iran. Abu Al-Hija was convicted as part of a plea deal for maintaining contact with a foreign agent, whom he suspected was an Iranian intelligence operative.
Abu Al-Hija engaged in various security-related tasks in exchange for payment, including gathering intelligence on former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. The court also imposed a 24-month suspended sentence and a fine of 10,000 shekels.
The indictment detailed how Abu Al-Hija joined a Telegram group titled "Looking for Black Market Jobs," where he was contacted by an individual identifying as "Martin Luther." This contact, identified as a foreign agent, communicated with Abu Al-Hija between October 8, 2025, and January 21, 2026, assigning him tasks despite Abu Al-Hija's suspicions.
One task involved purchasing a mobile charger, hiding it in Haifa, and sending photos and video of the location. For this, Abu Al-Hija received $200 via the cryptocurrency app Binance. Another assignment required him to photograph and video the exterior and interior of "Cafe Noir" in Tel Aviv, for which he was paid $1,000 via Binance.
His final mission involved photographing specific locations in the town of Amikam, near Yoav Gallant's home, and its surroundings. Abu Al-Hija completed this task and was arrested shortly thereafter in Amikam.
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