Israel sets up panel to probe Pegasus snooping allegations: Report

The probe team could be headed by Israel's National Security Council

ITDC INDIA EPRESS/ITDC NEWS R After intense global blowback against the Pegasus snooping reports that emerged on Wednesday, Israel has set up an inter-ministerial panel to probe the allegations, news agency Reuters reported. Israeli organisation NSO, which developed Pegasus, had stated that it will investigate any misuse of technology and blame a "planned and well-orchestrated media campaign pushed by special interest groups". Reuters claimed from sources that the probe team could be headed by Israel's National Security Council, which answers to Prime Minister Naftali Bennett.

French President Emmanuel Macron leads a list of 14 current or former heads of state who may have been targeted for hacking by clients of NSO. Among potential targets found on a list of 50,000 phone numbers leaked to Amnesty and the Paris-based journalism nonprofit Forbidden Stories include Presidents Cyril Ramaphosa of South Africa and Barham Salih of Iraq. King Mohammed VI of Morocco and three current prime ministers Imran Khan of Pakistan, Mustafa Madbouly of Egypt and Saad Eddine El Othmani of Morocco are also on the list, The Washington Post reported.