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TL;DR
- Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson claims a bugging device was found in his bathroom after Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu used it in 2017.
- The incident is detailed in Johnson’s memoir Unleashed, where he recounts the discovery during a routine security sweep.
- Israel has faced previous accusations of espionage, including alleged cellphone surveillance near the White House in 2019.
- The UK has also been accused of spying on Israeli missions, highlighting ongoing intelligence tensions between allied nations.
Former British Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made a striking claim in his upcoming memoir, Unleashed, alleging that a bugging device was discovered in his personal bathroom at the Foreign Office following a visit by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in 2017. Johnson, who was serving as Foreign Secretary at the time, recounts that after Netanyahu used the bathroom, described as akin to “the gents in a posh London club” within a secret annex, his security team found a listening device during a routine sweep.
Johnson writes, “Thither Bibi repaired for a while, and it may or may not be a coincidence but I am told that later, when they were doing a regular sweep for bugs, they found a listening device in the thunderbox.” Despite the discovery, it remains unclear if the Israeli government was confronted about the incident.
This revelation comes amid historical accusations against Israel for espionage activities targeting allied nations. In 2019, reports surfaced suggesting that Israel was likely behind cellphone surveillance devices found near the White House and other sensitive locations in Washington, D.C. However, both Netanyahu and then-U.S. President Donald Trump dismissed these claims as unfounded.
The UK has also faced allegations of spying on Israeli government missions abroad, based on leaked U.S. intelligence reported by the French newspaper Le Monde in 2016. These incidents underscore the complex dynamics of intelligence operations between allied countries.
Netanyahu’s visit to London in 2017 was his first to Johnson’s office. During their meeting, Johnson humorously showed Netanyahu what he claimed to be the walnut desk on which the Balfour Declaration was written, joking about having “the very pen” used by Balfour, only to reveal a Bic biro.
The Israeli embassy in London has been contacted for comment regarding these new allegations. As Johnson prepares for interviews related to his memoir’s release, this claim adds another layer to his controversial tenure and the intricate web of international relations involving espionage and surveillance.
Source: India Today
