High-level discussions discreetly took place in Paris in October. Tel Aviv could commit to that French numbers can no longer be targeted by Pegasus or other Israeli spyware software.
Le Monde
The safety advisor of the Israeli Prime Minister Eyal Hulata, was discretened in Paris in October to discuss Spy Pegasus software with the Elysee, reveals the site axios . The meeting was confirmed in the world by the Elysee, which calls it as a “West Session of Strategic Dialogue” between the two countries. “We ask for guarantees in the NSO case and work with the Israelis,” commented on the Elysée.
m. Hulata met with Emmanuel Macron’s diplomacy advisor, Emmanuel Good. Two points were on the agenda, according to Axios, based on Israeli sources: the progress of the investigation launched, in Israel, on the use of pegasus by some of its customers, as well as a “Proposal” to put an end to the diplomatic crisis related to the spyware. In particular, Mr. Hulata suggested that French numbers be excluded from those who can be targeted by Pegasus or other Israeli spyware.
Pegasus, created by Israeli company NSO Group, is a very powerful spyware, able to infect a remote phone without the knowledge of its owner. Once installed, the software is capable of downloading messaging historics, access the geolocation of the device, or spy on real-time calls or remotely trigger the microphone of the phone.
In July, a media consortium, coordinated by Forbidden Stories and that Le Monde was part of, had revealed multiple drifts committed by NSO Group clients. In a list of 50,000 potential targets of the spyware were Emmanuel Macron, a dozen French ministers as well as several senior diplomats and French journalists. The overwhelming majority of the French targets of the software have been targeted on behalf of Morocco.
The issue of French numbers
Revelations had triggered protests from the French government. The Minister of Armies, Florence Parly, had asked, at the end of July, “clarification” to his counterpart, Benny Gantz, the activity of NSO Group dependent on an export license granted to him by the Ministry of Defense Israeli.
At the end of September, M me spoke had explained, in an interview to the world, having asked the Israeli authorities that French numbers can no longer be targeted by Pegasus, as is the case for the US or English numbers. “We had an answer telling us that this would be the case. I can not tell you anything more,” said M Parly. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs Israeli then explained to the world that “France’s security interests are high among Israel’s priorities when defining its [export] policies.