Bennett and Macron agree to deal with NSO scandal ’discreetly’ at climate talks
Lee Yaron | Nov. 1, 2021 | Haaretz.com
▻https://www.haaretz.com/israel-news/.premium-bennett-to-discuss-iran-nso-with-macron-at-climate-change-summit-1
https://img.haarets.co.il/img/1.10343843/657831270.jpg?precrop=1600,930,x0,y36&height=698&width=1200 Earlier at the Glasgow climate summit, Bennett asked Australia’s Morrison to designate Hezbollah a terror organization and condemn Iran at the board meeting of the UN’s nuclear watchdog
GLASGOW – Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and French President Emmanuel Macron agreed on Monday to deal “discreetly” with the alleged hacking by Israeli firm NSO’s spyware on French targets, including the president himself, an Israeli source said.
The company’s Pegasus software was reportedly used to surveil French phones, with Macron on a Moroccan list of targets, according to Le Monde.
“It was agreed between the leaders that the subject will continue to be handled discreetly and professionally, and with the spirit of transparency between the two sides,” the unnamed official said.
The two leaders discussed global challenges, including Syria and Lebanon, while Bennett’s office said that Iran was a priority in the talks at the Glasgow climate summit.
Earlier on Monday, Bennett met with Australian counterpart Scott Morrison at the UN and discussed the Iranian threat and the Iran-backed group Hezbollah.
Bennett asked Morrison to officially designate Hezbollah a terror organization, and both leaders discussed the Iranian threat at length. He also requested Morrison to harshly condemn Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency’s Board of Governors meeting slated for later this month.
The prime minister told Morrison he expects to further strengthen the ties between Israel and Australia and thanked him for Australia’s steadfast support of Israel in the international arena.
Touching on climate change, Bennett told Morrison that “Israel had pledged to reduce its net carbon emissions to zero by 2050,” adding that “this matter should be politicized. We are talking about our children’s future.”
Bennett also invited Morrison and his wife for an official visit in Israel.
Reuters contributed to this report .