Netanyahu's Claims on Foreign Intelligence Meetings Contradicted by Archives
Translated & summarized from i24NEWS French by baba
Benjamin Netanyahu claimed he never met foreign intelligence chiefs as Prime Minister, but official records show he met Egypt's intelligence head, Abbas Kamel, in May 2021. Archives also indicate potential meetings with CIA Director William Burns and Mossad chief David Barnea in 2023 and 2024. These meetings are reportedly common in diplomatic and security relations, especially during sensitive negotiations.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Benjamin Netanyahu claimed he never met foreign intelligence chiefs, but archives show a 2021 meeting with Egypt's Abbas Kamel.
- Official records and photos contradict Netanyahu's assertion about not meeting foreign intelligence leaders.
- Netanyahu denied meeting Egypt's intelligence chief during a September 2023 visit.
- CIA Director William Burns reportedly met Netanyahu and Mossad chief David Barnea in Israel in 2024.
- Such meetings between leaders and intelligence chiefs are common in diplomatic and security affairs.
Benjamin Netanyahu stated on Channel 14 that he has never met with foreign intelligence chiefs during his tenure as Prime Minister, asserting such meetings "do not exist." However, official records from the Prime Minister's office contradict this assertion. On May 30, 2021, archives show Netanyahu met in Jerusalem with Abbas Kamel, then head of Egyptian intelligence, along with a delegation. An official photograph of the handshake and a video of the meeting were released on the Prime Minister's YouTube channel. The discussion reportedly covered Israeli-Egyptian cooperation, regional security issues, the fate of Israeli soldiers and civilians held in Gaza, and efforts to prevent Hamas from increasing its military capabilities.
Netanyahu's remarks followed his confirmation of an Egyptian plane landing in Israel in September 2023, shortly before the October 7 Hamas attack. He denied meeting the Egyptian intelligence chief during that visit, claiming he was attending a ceremony for fallen soldiers. Netanyahu questioned who Abbas Kamel might have met in Israel and accused unnamed individuals of attempting to attribute the meeting to him.
Further contradicting Netanyahu's statement, reports indicate that CIA Director William Burns allegedly visited Israel in February 2024 to meet with the Prime Minister. Additionally, Burns and David Barnea, then head of the Mossad, reportedly met in Jerusalem in May concerning negotiations for a ceasefire and the release of hostages in Gaza. Such exchanges between heads of state and foreign intelligence officials are described as common in diplomatic and security relations, particularly during sensitive negotiations.
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