Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent: One was killed, another injured in a raid by an Israeli drone on the city of Khiam in South Lebanon
London views possibility of setting fire to tanker in port of friendly country to Russia to damage port infrastructure, initiate an international probe: Moscow
One of London's scenarios involves setting up accident with 'undesirable' tanker in one of the bottlenecks of maritime communications: Russian foreign intelligence agency
London plans to organize major sabotage with tankers to declare transportation of Russian oil to international shipping: Russian foreign intelligence agency
UK intelligence agencies plan to use NATO allies to launch massive raid on 'Shadow Fleet': Russian foreign intelligence agency
Palestinian Ministry of Health: Two were martyred in Israeli shelling that targeted a besieged house in the town of Qabatiya in Jenin
At least 68 dead in migrant shipwreck off Yemen: IOM
Trump: We want to feed the people in Gaza, we do not want them to starve.
US President Donald Trump: We will impose sanctions on Russia if it does not end the war on Ukraine.
Israeli media: Polls show that 52% oppose Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu while only 29% support him.

Lobbyists downplayed NSO, "Israel" connection: HR organizations

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 27 Jul 2022 10:14
  • 2 Shares
4 Min Read

Democracy for the Arab World Now calls on the United States to investigate four lobbyists associated with the NSO Group for breaching the Foreign Agents Registration Act.

  • x
  • HR org: Lobbyists misrepresent relationship between NSO and
    Lobbyists downplayed NSO, "Israel" connection: HR organizations

A well-known human rights organization has requested that the US Department of Justice investigate four lobbyists associated with the Israeli technology business NSO Group.

Authoritarian countries have utilized the NSO Group's famed Pegasus spyware to monitor dissidents and activists.

The Democracy for the Arab World Now (DAWN) NGO claims that four lobbyists (Brian Finch, David Tamasi, Steve Rabinowitz, and Timothy Dickinson) violated the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) by misrepresenting the Israeli government's involvement with NSO Group.

The lobbyists allegedly misled politicians and journalists about the company, downplaying or eliminating NSO's links to human rights violations, according to DAWN. 

NSO-Israeli government relationship 

The relationship between the Israeli government and NSO is well-documented. Despite a previous vow to refrain from providing technology to governments that "commit human rights violations," it offered NSO the export license required to engage with foreign governments.

In 2020, then-Israeli Security Minister and current Alternate Prime Minister Naftali Bennett officially praised NSO for collaborating with the Israeli military to track COVID exposure among the country's populace. 

“Despite the well-documented human rights abuses committed with NSO Group’s Pegasus spyware, these four lobbyists and their firms have chosen to contribute to the company’s abuses by misleading public officials about its deservedly maligned reputation,” reads a statement put out by DAWN Director of "Israel"-Palestine Advocacy Adam Shapiro.

“Our investigation shows that the four lobbyists and NSO Group are misleading Congress, the Biden administration, and the American public by failing to register the Israeli government’s control of the company in their FARA registration forms.”

Read next: Israeli spyware firm NSO "cannot be counted on": HRW

At least 20 governments utilized the technology, which allows users to harvest data from iPhone and Android devices, to target more than 180 journalists and activists. In several cases, the hacking came before the killings.

For example, the family of Jamal Khashoggi appears to have been surveilled before and after his killing, while the virus targeted Mexican journalist Cecilio Pineda just weeks before his 2017 murder.

“The Pegasus Project lays bare how NSO’s spyware is a weapon of choice for repressive governments seeking to silence journalists, attack activists, and crush dissent, placing countless lives in peril,” said Secretary General of Amnesty International Agnes Callamard after the investigations were made public.

NSO Group

This was not the first time NSO technology has garnered international attention. Facebook sued the corporation in 2019 after roughly 1,400 WhatsApp users were hacked using Pegasus. Among those who were hacked were journalists and activists.

The NSO Group has repeatedly denied any wrongdoing, claiming that the Forbidden Stories investigations were riddled with "wrong assumptions and uncorroborated theories."

This did not, however, prevent the US government from blacklisting the corporation in November 2021. The Commerce Department of the Biden administration stated that the move was part of an effort to "stem the proliferation of digital tools used for repression."

According to DAWN, three of the lobbyists (Tamasi, Rabinowitz, and Dickinson) filed to register with NSO after Biden placed it on the blacklist, while one (Finch) had joined before the announcement.

Read next: NSO Group 'throwing cash' at lobbyists to get off US blacklist

“From the available evidence, including credible and detailed media reporting, court filings, and information the company and its lobbyists promote about NSO Group, it is clear that NSO Group is controlled and/or directed by the Israeli government and possibly also its foreign government clients,” reads DAWN’s complaint to the Justice Department.

“The fact that four separate lobbying firms that registered as FARA agents on behalf of NSO Group each misrepresented the true nature of the company suggests that this was not accidental or an oversight, but rather a coordinated or directed effort to mislead the FARA Unit, the Department of Justice, and the American people.”

If the complaints are investigated and verified, the lobbyists could face up to five years in prison and $250,000 fines.

  • Foreign Agents Registration Act
  • Israel
  • NSO Group
  • Pegasus

Most Read

A rescued crew member from the ETERNITY C vessel in a video released by the Yemeni Armed Forces on July 28, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen Navy reveals fate of targeted Eternity C ship crew

  • Politics
  • 28 Jul 2025
An Israeli tank explodes following an ambush by al-Qassam Brigades in Gaza, Occupied Palestine, undated (Al-Qassam Military Media)

Al-Qassam strikes Israeli vehicles in Gaza, inflicts casualties

  • Politics
  • 30 Jul 2025
UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

UAE lodges complaint against Israeli ambassador over 'misbehavior'

  • Politics
  • 1 Aug 2025
Protesters chant anti-Israeli slogans as they carry a banner that reads:" Freedom for Palestine, Alliance stop the war," during a demonstration in support of Palestinians in Gaza, outside the Israeli embassy, in Athens, Monday, June 9, 2025 (AP)

Athens mayor slams Israeli ambassador over Gaza war, graffiti claim

  • Politics
  • 3 Aug 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
A member of the al-Qassam Brigades, the armed wing of Hamas, takes part in a parade as he celebrates a ceasefire agreement between Hamas and the Israeli regime in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip, Sunday, January 19, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Al-Qassam: We’ll allow aid to Israeli captives if Gaza siege ends

Freed Lebanese freedom fighter Georges Abdallah during an interview on Al Mayadeen, which aired on Sunday, August 3, 2025 (Al Mayadeen screengrab)
Politics

Exclusive: Resistance key to building state, Georges Abdallah says

United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres gives a statement about the situation in Gaza at UN headquarters, Friday, June 27, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN warns Gaza faces water crisis, looming famine under Israeli siege

Israeli soldiers drive their armored personnel carrier along the Gaza Strip, in southern occupied Palestine, Wednesday, July 30, 2025 (AP)
Politics

Ex-Israeli general says Gaza starvation campaign isolated 'Israel'

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS