ISRAELI Defence Minister Benny Gantz will meet his French counterpart in Paris this week for talks that will include an “update” on the Pegasus spyware scandal, his office said today. 

A ministry statement said Gantz will leave tomorrow for talks with French Defence Minister Florence Parly on topics including the crisis in Lebanon, nuclear negotiations with Iran and the Pegasus malware made by Israeli firm NSO, which was allegedly used to target President Emmanuel Macron. 

Pegasus, which is able to switch on a phone’s camera or microphone and harvest its data, is at the centre of a storm after a list of about 50,000 potential surveillance targets was leaked to human rights groups.

Amnesty International and French media non-profit Forbidden Stories collaborated with a clutch of media companies, including the Washington Post, the Guardian and Le Monde, to analyse and publish the list. 

Macron had to change his phone and number.

Israel’s Defence Ministry must approve NSO exports given the sensitive nature of the sector. 

Israel’s defence establishment has set up a committee to review the firm’s business, including the process through which export licenses are granted. 

Pegasus’ list of alleged targets includes at least 180 journalists, 600 politicians, 85 human rights activists and 65 business leaders.

NSO insists its software is only intended for use in fighting terrorism and other crimes, and says it exports to 45 countries. – AFP, July 27, 2021.