Israel to set up panel to probe Pegasus row

Jerusalem, February 7

The Israel government announced on Monday that a state commission of inquiry will be set up to probe into the explosive claims made by a newspaper that the police force allegedly used a sophisticated spyware to hack the phones of top government officials, business magnates, journalists and associates of former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The move comes after widespread condemnation from several quarters and the clamour for an investigation from Israel’s President, cabinet ministers and politicians, who have dubbed these allegations as “deeply concerning”.

Public Security Minister Omer Barlev said he was going to establish a commission to look into the claims that the Israel Police had conducted extensive extrajudicial spying, with Prime Minister Naftali Bennett asserting that “if the reports are true, they are very serious”. —