Vos Iz NeiasNYT: Israeli Rabbis Enlisted to Fight Iranian Recruitment of Charedim
JERUSALEM (VINnews) — Israeli security agencies have enlisted prominent rabbis, charedi journalists and community leaders in an effort to combat what authorities say is a growing Iranian campaign to recruit spies inside Israel, after at least nine members of the ultra-Orthodox community were implicated in recent espionage cases, according to a report published by The New York Times.
The newspaper reported that the unusual outreach reflects mounting concern among Israeli officials that Iran has increasingly targeted the charedi community as part of a broader online recruitment effort aimed at persuading Israelis to gather intelligence or carry out tasks on Tehran’s behalf. Israeli police say prosecutors have filed more than 60 espionage-related indictments in recent months involving soldiers and civilians from across Israeli society.
According to the report, Israeli security officials asked Rabbi Yigal Cohen, a member of Israel’s chief rabbinical council with a large social media following, to issue a public warning urging his followers not to cooperate with Iranian operatives. In a widely circulated video, Cohen cautioned that anyone contacted by Iranian agents should immediately cut off communication, warning that such activity could end in imprisonment and “ruin lives.”
The campaign has also included outreach by prominent charedi commentator Yisrael Cohen, who helped connect security officials with rabbis, journalists and other influential figures in the ultra-Orthodox community. Cohen told The New York Times that many in the community were initially shocked by reports that charedim had allegedly been recruited by Iran, but quickly recognized the need to prevent the phenomenon from spreading.
Israeli officials say Iran’s recruitment strategy relies on mass online outreach, sending thousands of messages in the hope that a small number of recipients will respond. Former Shin Bet officials told the newspaper that while most approaches fail, recruiting even one or two Israelis can provide Tehran with valuable intelligence.