How the US led to Israel's offensive cyber collapse

Visa revocations, company sanctions and canceled mega-deals devastate sector as Israeli officials fail to protect critical industry and national security interests while questions emerge about role of American official with Palestinian background who previously worked at UNRWA.
by Itay Ilnai · Published on 04-04-2025 07:57 · Last modified: 04-04-2025 07:57
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Industry sources maintain that these American measures, predominantly enacted during Biden's term, have caused leading Israeli companies in the sector – NSO and Candiru – to start "hemorrhaging both clients and personnel," while other firms like Quadream have completely ceased operations. "The industry has been struggling for several years but now faces imminent collapse," a senior industry executive warned. "If they continue revoking employee visas, we'll lose our entire workforce. The industry is facing extinction."
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The 2018 murder of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi, a case that implicated NSO, marked a turning point in American policy toward offensive cyber generally and Israeli companies specifically. Subsequently, multiple investigations by international organizations presented evidence of various governments – from Uganda to Spain – illegally employing cyber tools acquired from Israeli companies.
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This week, responding to a Haaretz report about Prime Minister's adviser Caroline Glick's activities, officials noted her engagement with the White House included "exploring options for lifting sanctions on Israeli technology companies." Israel Hayom's investigation confirms Glick maintains active contact with Israel's offensive cyber industry representatives and is working on this issue.
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