Uncovered memos reveal Israeli spies posed as CIA agents

The United States and Israel share a military alliance, but according to a recent Foreign Policy article, there may be dissention between the two nations in matters of foreign policy.

According to the article, memos from the Bush administration reveal officers of Mossad, the Israeli spy agency, posed as CIA agents to recruit members of the Sunni separatist organization Jundallah to aid Israel in its covert war with Iran. While earlier reports alleged the United States secretly backed the group’s attacks on Iran, the article suggests the U.S. had no knowledge of the operation at the time of Mossad’s contacts with Jundallah.

Mossad, however, made little effort to conceal their role in the plot.

“I don’t think there’s any doubt among policy makers here that Israel feels under threat from Iran and wants American protection, and this would pull the United States into the Israeli agenda,” said author Mark Perry.

This incident, known as a false flag operation, is particularly problematic for the United States because the government refuses to associate with Jundallah because of its violent actions.

“Its operations are very reminiscent of what al-Qaeda does,” Perry said. “Beheadings, suicide bombings, assassinations.”

Jundallah is listed by the U.S. goverment as a foreign terrorist orgainization.

“This was a real strike, let’s say, at our own principles, and it painted us as hypocrites in the Middle East…” Perry said.

But the actions Mossad took did not cause irreparable damage to the relationship between the United States and Israel. President Barack Obama remains steadfast in the U.S.’s “ironclad commitment” to Israel’s security.