FBI's 'Israel File' Revealed Surveillance of Israelis in Early US Relations
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Newly released FBI documents reveal a broad investigation into dozens of Israelis and American Jews in the late 1940s and 1950s, codenamed ISINT. The file details surveillance and suspicions of espionage, including monitoring figures like Consul Reuven Dafni and future President Chaim Herzog. The FBI also investigated potential leaks of US documents and probed financial dealings related to Israeli procurement efforts. The investigation's scope extended to prominent business and media figures, highlighting early US concerns about Israeli intelligence activities.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- FBI's 'ISINT' file reveals extensive surveillance of Israelis and American Jews in the late 1940s and 1950s.
- The investigation monitored dozens of individuals, including diplomats, activists, and business figures.
- Key figures like Consul Reuven Dafni and future President Chaim Herzog were subjects of FBI scrutiny.
- The FBI investigated suspicions of leaked US government documents to Zionist entities.
- The probe also examined financial dealings related to Israeli procurement and potential communist ties.
- Newly released documents show the FBI's early interest in the sensitive issue of the US embassy's location in Jerusalem.
Newly released FBI documents, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, reveal a sprawling investigation codenamed ISINT (Israeli Intelligence Service) that monitored dozens of Israelis and American Jews from the late 1940s into the 1950s. The file, spanning over 65-58700, details surveillance, financial checks, and suspicions of leaked government information, casting a light on early US-Israeli relations. Among those scrutinized were diplomats, business people, activists, and even secretaries, with investigations ranging from hotel room charges to suspected espionage.
Key figures like Reuven Dafni, the Israeli Consul in Los Angeles, were subject to surveillance, with the FBI meticulously documenting his hotel stays and travel plans. Chaim Herzog, later Israel's president, was flagged for discreet investigation upon his arrival in the US as a military attaché. Other prominent individuals, including Gideon Rafael, Eliezer Livneh, and Moshe Rosetti, also appeared in the extensive file, which involved inquiries into their activities and associations.
The investigation extended to suspicions of leaked American documents to "Zionist" entities, prompting a directive from FBI Director J. Edgar Hoover to centralize the inquiry. Specific instances included a detailed inquiry into how an individual obtained copies of five American air attaché reports. The FBI also examined financial dealings, such as those involving Nachum Bernstein, a lawyer for the Jewish Agency implicated in the procurement of aircraft for Israel, and investigated potential links between individuals and communist activities.
The scope of the investigation was remarkably broad, encompassing not only government officials and activists but also prominent figures in American business and media. This included Walter Haas, president of Levi Strauss, and his son, as well as Hollywood figures like Harold Nebenzal. Even journalists like Rina Grossman, Dafni's wife, and Murray Rossant, an associate editor at Time, were subjects of FBI scrutiny regarding their past work and Zionist affiliations.
Further revelations include the FBI's interest in the potential transfer of the US embassy to Jerusalem, which Hoover deemed of "crucial importance" in 1951, fearing it would signify de facto American recognition of Jerusalem as part of Israel. The investigation also touched upon the transfer of gold from the US to Israel, raising questions about its funding and purpose amidst Israel's early economic struggles. The FBI's extensive efforts, including the use of mail cover and attempts to develop informants within El Al airlines, underscore the deep-seated American concern and surveillance of Israeli activities during this formative period.