The status and purpose of Elizabeth Tsurkov have been widely contentious after news of her apprehension came out. 

A recent report by the Electronic Intifada investigates the peculiarities of her dubious line of work in touring the hotspots of the Middle East. 

According to her sister, Tsurkov was reportedly apprehended back in March, however, however news of her disappearance was kept secret in hopes that the matter would be resolved swiftly. 

The Cradle's report last week appears to have forced "Israel’s" hand. 

“Elizabeth Tsurkov is still alive and we hold Iraq responsible for her safety and well-being,” Netanyahu’s office said shortly after the report came out: accusing Kataib Hezbollah of holding her hostage.

Kataib Hezbollah then issued a statement in response denying responsibility for her apprehension, but describing Tsurkov as an Israeli security agent. 

An Israeli official, cited by the Times of Israel, said Tsurkov "is absolutely not a  member of Mossad, period, exclamation point, underline."

The Israeli narrative claims that Tsurkov is a journalist and a human rights activist doing on-field research for her doctorate at Princeton University however a lot of key factors raise valid suspicions about Tsurkov being an Israeli asset. 

Read more: Elizabeth Tsurkov, Israeli woman kidnapped in Iraq: Israeli media

In an article for the Israeli newspaper Tikun Alam,  Richard Silverstein argues that while Tsurkov may not be a Mossad agent she might very likely be a Mossad asset such that there are "many cases in which Israeli intelligence has exploited journalists and academics who have reported in countries where it has no official presence. They are not employed by Mossad as agents, but they serve as intelligence assets. Certainly, the Mossad would be extremely interested in her research in Syria and Iraq.”  

Former Israeli Intelligence Analyst

Tsurkov, for one, is not just any foreign journalist interested in Arab politics. Tsurkov actively engaged in espionage-type concealment and deception by using her Russian passport to enter Iraq (Lebanon and Syria) whose national laws prohibit any Israeli settler from entering their territories: not to mention an Israeli settler tasked with information-gathering.  

Furthermore, while it may not be confirmed that Tsurkov was tasked with information-gathering missions for the Mossad, her former work as an intelligence agent for the IOF during the 2006 war on Lebanon, is sufficient to reasonably assess her as a threat to national security. 

Princeton's Ban on Research in Iraq

Moreover, the narrative about conducting research for Princeton in Iraq is also a problematic pretext. Princeton strictly forbids students from conducting any university-related research in Iraq for safety reasons. Even if Tsurkov's information-gathering was strictly for academic purposes, the research wouldn't be recognized as part of her dissertation and would have been screened in the human subjects review such that field research in Iraq is expressly forbidden under Princeton University law. 

Even in the statement that they had released following the news of Tsurkov's apprehension, Princeton did not address whether it approved her trips nor did they comment on what she was doing in Iraq. Additionally, her Ph.D. adviser refused to answer any requests for comment by phone and email.

“You cannot travel to a Category X country on a personal trip and then engage in activities that are university-related while you are there,” The Princeton policy reads. 

Support for Subversion and Intervention 

Tsurkov's activism and support for human rights have often been coupled with subversive and interventionist advocacy. This is best exemplified by her work in Syria where she was keen to white-wash armed groups, like HTS, despite their long-standing affiliation with Al-Qaeda. 

New video from Hayat Tahrir a-Sham showing its commander visiting IDPs & inquiring about their needs, promising to address them. Jolani notably describes the enemies of the "Sunni people" of Idlib as disbelievers who seek to turn Sunnis into a minority. pic.twitter.com/3o1eTC9uWY

— Elizabeth Tsurkov🌻 (@Elizrael) December 18, 2020

Most significantly, Tsurkov has praised the NATO intervention in Libya, the imposition of a no-fly zone in Syria, and the brutal US airstrikes on Syria and Iraq.

Ironically, Tsurkov, whose doctorate is supposedly dedicated to studying the ills of sectarianism in Iraq and Syria has constantly parrotted sectarian rhetorics and narratives. 

Additionally, Tsurkov's research was far from being impartial. She had recurrently pressed for conclusions that incite internal strife. Enthusiastically taking sides and promoting instability in regard to questions Kurdistan and Moqtada al-Sadr. 

Read more: Iraqi Hezbollah says admission of Israeli agent in Iraq 'dangerous'