Ex-intel IOF operatives molding Israeli narrative in US media
3 Min Read
A recent report reveals that former Israeli spies are influencing coverage in major US news outlets to align with Tel Aviv's interests.
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Palestinian health workers unearth a body buried by Israeli occupation forces in mass graves inside the Nasser hospital compound in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip on April 21, 2024. (AFP)
Former Israeli spies are embedded in major US news outlets, influencing coverage to favor Tel Aviv's interests, according to a report.
In early October, Barak Ravid published an article in Axios titled "One Year After Oct. 7 Attacks, Netanyahu is on a Winning Streak," which painted Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as riding an unbeatable wave of successes, as reported by Mint Press News.
Ravid recently gained attention for an article claiming that Israeli attacks against Hezbollah are “not intended to lead to war but are an attempt to reach ‘de-escalation through escalation.’”
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A former analyst with Israeli intelligence agency Unit 8200, Ravid was still a reservist with the Israeli military as recently as last year. Established in 1952, Unit 8200 is "Israel’s" largest and most controversial intelligence organization, responsible for numerous high-profile espionage and terror operations, including the recent electronic attacks that injured thousands of Lebanese civilians.
Ravid is not alone; he is part of a network of former Israeli intelligence operatives working in top US media outlets to shape narratives that bolster Western support for "Israel", according to the report. He has quickly become a significant figure in the Capitol Hill press corps and won the White House Press Correspondents’ Award in April “for overall excellence in White House coverage,” a prestigious honor in American journalism, presented to him by President Joe Biden, who embraced him warmly.
Ravid has made a name for himself by uncritically publishing flattering information from US or Israeli officials.
Unit 8200 and CNN
Another former spy, Shachar Peled, spent three years as an officer in Unit 8200, leading a team focused on surveillance, intelligence, and cyberwarfare. She also served as a technology analyst for "Israel's" Shin Bet before joining CNN in 2017 as a producer and writer for shows. Google later hired her as a senior media specialist.
Tal Heinrich, another Unit 8200 alum, worked for CNN as a field and news desk producer for its pro-"Israel" Jerusalem Bureau from 2014 to 2017.
Additionally, The New York Times hired Anat Schwartz, an ex-Israeli air force intelligence officer with no prior journalistic experience. She co-wrote the now-discredited “Screams Without Words” report, which alleged that Hamas fighters systematically sexually assaulted Israelis on October 7.
Moreover, multiple New York Times staffers, including prominent columnist David Brooks, have children serving in the Israeli military, yet The Times has not disclosed these significant conflicts of interest to its readers.
