Ex-National Security Advisor Confirms Netanyahu Hid Submarine Deal, Endangered Operatives

Former National Security Advisor Giora Eiland confirmed reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concealed approval of a submarine sale to Egypt from Israel's security establishment. Eiland stated in a radio interview that Netanyahu urged the Mossad to thwart the deal without its leadership knowing he had already approved it, a move Eiland described as endangering the lives of Mossad operatives. He called this allegation the most significant in the submarine affair.

Eiland's confirmation came in reference to the new book by attorney Eliad Shraga, "Corruption in the Depths." He detailed a crucial meeting with former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, Mossad chief Tamir Pardo, and other generals. Initially, Bennett favored addressing deficiencies without a state inquiry, but changed his mind after a private conversation with Pardo, which Eiland said left Bennett visibly shaken and convinced of the necessity for a full investigation.

Beyond the submarine deal, Eiland criticized the procurement of four defense corvettes from ThyssenKrupp, questioning the insistence on a single supplier and the need for high-performance vessels for protecting offshore gas rigs, which he argued are already protected by other means and are close to shore. The article also references a report stating that decisions in the submarine affair endangered national security.