Department of Security and Military Strategic Research and Studies 22-10-2024

An investigation published by “Mint Press News” reveals that Israeli spies hold significant positions within American journalism, detailing their articles, sensitive roles within media institutions, and strong ties to the Israeli military particularly Unit 8200, Israel’s largest espionage unit.

The investigation concludes that “major institutions like Axios, CNN, and The New York Times are well aware of whom they are hiring, and it’s likely that hundreds of applicants apply for every position.” The report adds that “the fact these institutions specifically select Israeli spies raises serious questions about their journalistic credibility and intent.”

Among the most notable is Barak Ravid, one of the most influential journalists in Washington, who even won the prestigious White House Correspondents’ Award for “Excellence in Overall White House Coverage” in April one of the highest honors in American journalism.

“One year after the October 7 attacks, Netanyahu continues his series of victories,” reads the headline of a recent article on Axios by Barak Ravid. The piece outlines these “astounding” military successes, which include bombing Yemen, assassinating Ismail Haniyeh and Hassan Nasrallah, and detonating “pagers” in Lebanon.

Barak Ravid is not just a journalist; he was formerly an analyst for Unit 8200, Israel’s largest spy unit, which has been responsible for several espionage and terror operations, including the explosion of “pagers” that injured thousands of Lebanese civilians. Until just last year, Ravid remained a reservist in the Israeli military.

Shachar Peled spent three years as an officer in Unit 8200, where she led a team of analysts specializing in surveillance, intelligence, and cyber warfare. She also worked as a technical analyst for the Israeli intelligence agency Shin Bet.

In 2017, she was hired as a producer and writer by CNN, where she spent three years compiling segments for major TV shows hosted by prominent journalists such as Fareed Zakaria and Christiane Amanpour. Google later recruited her to become a senior media officer for the tech giant.

Another Unit 8200 operative who worked at CNN is Tal Heinrich. She spent three years in the unit and, between 2014 and 2017, served as a field producer and news producer at CNN’s Jerusalem bureau, which has pro-Israel leanings. Heinrich was one of the key journalists shaping American perceptions of Operation Protective Edge, which resulted in thousands of deaths and the displacement of hundreds of thousands. Heinrich later left CNN and now serves as Benjamin Netanyahu’s official spokesperson.

CNN’s inclination to hire individuals connected to the Israeli state persists to this day. Tamar Michaeli, for instance, currently works for the network, producing much of its content on Israel and Palestine, despite having previously served as a spokesperson for the Israeli military.

Similarly, The New York Times employed Anat Schwartz, a former Israeli Air Force intelligence officer with no prior journalistic experience. Schwartz co-authored an article titled “Cries Without Words,” which, without providing evidence, claimed that Hamas fighters committed sexual assaults during the October 7, 2023, Al-Aqsa Flood operation. This article caused internal uproar within the publication. Additionally, some New York Times staff members have children serving in the Israeli military, a fact the newspaper does not disclose when publishing their work.

Unit 8200 was established in 1952 and handles covert operations, espionage, surveillance, and cyber warfare. The unit created an AI-driven kill and assassination list comprising tens of thousands of individuals, including women and children. This program was the primary targeting mechanism used by the Israeli military during the early months of its assault on the densely populated Gaza Strip.

Unit 8200 also serves as a “future repression factory” against Palestinians, amassing vast amounts of data about their personal lives, including their sexual history and medical records. The unit monitors their every move via facial recognition cameras, intercepts their phone calls, messages, emails, and personal data all to harass, oppress, and coerce them into becoming informants and spies for Israel.