Israeli Reservists of Spy Unit Refuse to Be Tools of Occupation, Sparking Ire From Officials | Common Dreams | Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community

24.9.14

Israeli Reservists of Spy Unit Refuse to Be Tools of Occupation, Sparking Ire From Officials | Common Dreams | Breaking News & Views for the Progressive Community: Unit 8200 is the equivalent of the NSA. It is one of the most critical weapons in the IDF arsenal to defend the nation’s security. It participates in myriad ways supporting, and even initiating IDF operations. It is the biggest intelligence unit in the Israeli army. This is the first time any such officers have publicly protested.

These refusers are not Edward Snowden. They are not spilling secrets or naming names. But their motivation for protesting against Israeli intelligence operations is almost the same as Snowden’s. They claim that there is virtually no oversight or restraint against spying on Palestinians. That there is no distinction made between innocent and guilty Palestinians. That their goal as intelligence operatives was to subvert Palestinian society from within.