Iran increases Israeli recruits amid political turmoil: The Economist
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Nearly 20 years ago, Maman moved to Turkey in search of better opportunities, settling in Samandağ, near the Syrian border, where he worked as a wholesale trader in fruits and vegetables.
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Mordechai Motti Maman was arrested on suspicion of spying for Iran after returning to "Israel" from Turkey in August 2024 (Agencies)
The Economist reported that 39 Israelis were arrested last year on suspicion of spying for Iran, according to Shin Bet, "Israel’s" security agency. The report claims that since late 2022, Iran has recruited hundreds of Israelis through social media and during travels to Turkey and Azerbaijan, covering a broad spectrum of Jews and Arabs, religious and secular individuals, young and old, men and women.
A former Shin Bet official warned, "We need to deter others from collaborating with our worst enemies before it turns into a national pandemic."
Before his recruitment by Iran, the latest detainee, Mordechai Maman, led an ordinary life, always seeking new ways to make money, though his ventures never succeeded.
Failed Businessman Turned Spy
Nearly 20 years ago, Maman moved to Turkey in search of better opportunities, settling in Samandağ, near the Syrian border, where he worked as a wholesale trader in fruits and vegetables.
He would occasionally return to "Israel" but was vague about his profession, giving the impression that he worked undercover for Mossad and Israeli special forces in Lebanon and Turkey. However, by April 2024, his financial situation had deteriorated.
According to WhatsApp messages obtained by Shin Bet, Maman sought financial help from his Turkish cousins, who introduced him to a wealthy Iranian businessman named "Eddie." Eddie promised to make him rich by opening doors in the fruit and pistachio trade.
In May 2024, Maman traveled to a Turkish village near the Iranian border. After five days, he left his passport, phone, and belongings at a hotel and crossed the border hidden in a truck. Once in Iran, he was received at a villa, where Eddie requested "small favors" in exchange for financial assistance. These included tracking hidden weapons and money inside "Israel", photographing crowded areas, and intimidating Israeli Arabs who failed to complete missions for Iranian intelligence. Maman agreed to these tasks.
Read more: Two Israeli occupation forces reservists arrested for spying for Iran
By mid-August 2024, Iranian officials made a direct request: they offered $150,000 for the assassination of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Security Minister Yoav Gallant, or Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar. Shocked by the request, Maman hesitated, but the Iranians insisted they needed him to eliminate a high-value target. As an alternative, they suggested former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett as a more accessible target.
The report claimed that Maman accepted in principle but demanded $1 million, leading to further negotiations. The Iranians then suggested using explosives to assassinate the mayors of Nahariya and Acre, claiming they were known to Maman. However, no agreement was reached.
The next day, Iranian intelligence proposed recruiting a Mossad agent and turning him into a double agent, but Maman again demanded $1 million, and the meeting ended without an agreement. He later returned to Turkey, then traveled to "Israel" via Cyprus. Upon landing at Ben Gurion Airport, he was arrested.
Internal Divisions Fueling Chaos
Professor Yoram Peri, a professor emeritus of "Israel" studies at the University of Maryland, told The Economist: "Israeli society is sliding into a dangerous state of implosion." He argued that Netanyahu’s attempts to weaken the judiciary and control the media have contributed to the "deterioration of the old traditional institutions" and a general decline in respect for the law.
"No wonder that in such a chaotic reality, more and more Israelis have less and less inhibitions and are ready to break the taboo that you don’t betray your country," he added.
According to The Economist, this internal deterioration may explain why Iran has succeeded where others have failed, despite relying on basic intelligence techniques.
