Shin Bet in headlines over Israel’s security taps, Gaza flotilla detentions, and Iran-linked spying cases; Israel’s internal security chief agency.
Israeli police arrested Raz Cohen, a 26-year-old Iron Dome reservist, on suspicion of passing security secrets to Iran. Cohen maintained contact with Iranian agents over several months, providing details about Israel’s military defenses. The arrest occurs amid ongoing Israel-Iran hostilities and recent missile exchanges that have resulted in civilian casualties.
Two activists, Brazilian Thiago Avila and Spanish-Palestinian Saif Abukeshek, have been released from Israeli detention after a hunger strike and are slated for deportation. Israel has said they were detained following the Global Sumud Flotilla’s attempt to break Gaza’s blockade; rights groups say their detention has been unlawful while await deportation.
Israel’s prime minister has said he has made a secret March 26 trip to Al‑Ain to meet UAE president Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed and has called it a “historic breakthrough.” The UAE has denied the visit. Multiple outlets have reported broader Israel–UAE defence cooperation during the Iran war, including Iron Dome batteries and alleged intelligence coordination.
Israel has instructed legal advisers to consider defamation action against The New York Times and columnist Nicholas Kristof after a May 11 opinion piece alleged widespread sexual abuse of Palestinians by Israeli forces. The Times has defended its fact‑checking and sourcing; Israeli officials and the Israel Prison Service have rejected the claims as "blood libel."
Israel and the United Arab Emirates are coordinating more closely in response to the Iran crisis, with reports that Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Bet head David Zini have visited the UAE to discuss wartime coordination, security sharing, and potential strikes against Iran.