US intelligence officials under President Joe Biden's administration temporarily stopped sharing certain information with Israel due to concerns about how Israel was conducting the war in Gaza. This occurred in the second half of 2024.
It included suspending the live broadcast of footage from a US drone that Israel was using to track hostages and Hamas militants, as well as restrictions on the use of some intelligence in military targeting decisions.
This was done due to concerns over civilian casualties in Gaza and reports of mistreatment of Palestinian prisoners by the Israeli Shin Bet agency. US law requires assurances that shared intelligence is used in accordance with the laws of war, reports Reuters.
Although intelligence sharing generally continued, the temporary suspension of a close ally during wartime was unusual and heightened tensions. Intelligence sharing was later resumed after Israel provided the requested assurances.
After the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, the Biden administration expanded intelligence cooperation with Israel, including drone surveillance. But reports of mistreatment of detainees and civilian casualties subsequently led to internal reviews and consideration of further reductions in intelligence sharing.
Although US intelligence analysts raised serious concerns about the possibility of war crimes, administration lawyers ruled that Israel had not violated international law.
The formal end of the expanded intelligence sharing was also discussed, but President Biden decided to avoid this, saying that a future administration could resume it. /Telegraph/
