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Trump’s fact-sharing with Russia about ISIS risks life of Israeli spy

Israeli intelligence officials are reconsidering future information-sharing with the Trump administration in light of reports that an Israeli spy’s life is now at risk. 

The life of an Israeli spy entrenched in the Islamic State (ISIS) is at risk as a result of US President Donald Trump’s sharing of classified information with Russia about a terror plot, according to an ABC report.

“The real risk is not just this source, but future sources of information about plots against us,” said Matt Olsen, the former Director of the National Counterterrorism Center and an ABC News contributor.

The New York Times originally reported on Tuesday that Israel was the source of the relevant piece of intelligence handed over by Trump to Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Ambassador to the US Sergey Kislyak during a meeting last week at the White House.

The intelligence provided details regarding the use of an explosive device that would be hidden inside a laptop and subsequently detonated on an airliner. US officials said the device could pass through airport screening machines undetected and that the information was reliable enough for them to contemplate a ban on laptops on all flights traveling to the United States from Europe.

The intelligence was shared on condition that it would remain confidential, the report says. Consequentially, Israeli intelligence officials are reassessing future intelligence sharing with the US, at least during Trump’s presidency.

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“We can’t hand over our crown jewels,” one Israeli intelligence source was quoted as saying.

BuzzFeed News quoted an Israeli intelligence officer who said that many in the Israeli intelligence community were “boiling mad and demanding answers” as to whether Israel would continue its sharing classified information with the US.

“There has to be trust for this sort of arrangement,” the officer said. “I cannot speak for Israel’s entire security apparatus, but I would not trust a partner who shared intelligence without coordinating it with us first.”

Israeli Political Leaders Trust the US Administration

Israel’s political establishment, however, appears to maintain full trust in the current White House.

“Israel has full confidence in our intelligence relationship with the US and we expect to deepen that relationship in the coming years under President Trump,” stated Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer.

Defense Minister Avigdor Liberman followed up on Wednesday with a statement on Twitter, saying that  “the security relationship between Israel and its great ally the US are deep, significant and unprecedented in their scope and contribution to our strength.”

By: Jonathan Benedek, World Israel News