Gransnet forums

News & politics

Kier Starmer hires former Israeli spy

(94 Posts)
GagaJo Tue 19-Jan-21 19:56:44

The UK Labour Party has hired a former Israeli spy to help manage its social media, The Electronic Intifada can reveal.

Assaf Kaplan will work in the office of Labour leader Keir Starmer, a source with knowledge of the hire said.

Kaplan was in Israeli military intelligence for nearly five years, an officer in Unit 8200, its cyberwarfare branch.

Unit 8200 specializes in spying, hacking and encryption. It carries out blackmail, mass surveillance and systematic discrimination against Palestinians.

In 2014, a group of whistleblowers detailed how the unit spies on Palestinian civilians living under Israeli military occupation.

According to his LinkedIn profile, Kaplan was in the Israeli army’s military intelligence division from May 2009 to November 2013.

electronicintifada.net/blogs/asa-winstanley/uk-labour-party-hires-former-israeli-spy?fbclid=IwAR1Sibgmst7O9HMRjppLhjhTEn7U9t4FJj8ZXJOltXkbCvVJaTV6PqEF2zo

NotSpaghetti Tue 19-Jan-21 20:45:11

I would definitely like to know more about this! ... have Googled it and keep getting the same info (often same words).

lemongrove Tue 19-Jan-21 20:48:34

Well, sounds as if he is highly qualified for the job then.

Hetty58 Tue 19-Jan-21 21:01:29

That's just what I was thinking lemongrove!

GagaJo Tue 19-Jan-21 21:03:08

I just have to shake my head really.

Chewbacca Tue 19-Jan-21 21:05:29

I just have to shake my head really

Oh go on then GagaJo, tell us!

Eloethan Tue 19-Jan-21 21:38:37

I should be surprised - but I'm not.

Ramblingrose22 Tue 19-Jan-21 21:58:55

Am I missing something?

What is the issue here?

growstuff Tue 19-Jan-21 22:08:24

Good! Nobody will know more about weeding out trolls because he was possibly responsible for creating some of them.

PippaZ Tue 19-Jan-21 22:13:20

"a source with knowledge of the hire said."

American/Russian? The site looks a very strange one. I'm afraid I would doubt this article but time will tell.

GagaJo Tue 19-Jan-21 22:59:25

Just fed up really Chewbacca. I know we disagree politically, but for me personally, for Labour to go from a party I believed in and supported, to what it is becoming is sad. So, just SMH. Pfft.

PippaZ Tue 19-Jan-21 23:03:35

But this doesn't really tell us anything GagaJo. It may be true but it looks very doubtful and it's reporting tone is very extreme. At least let's find out if it is reported in a more believable part of the press. You can talk yourself into believing things that turn out not to be quite the way they look. Give it time.

Ramblingrose22 Tue 19-Jan-21 23:03:50

Gagajo - instead of using expressions such as "SMH" and "Pfft", if there is something very serious going on that we all need to be worried about please spell it out and enlighten us all.

Otherwise why start this thread in the first place?

Chewbacca Tue 19-Jan-21 23:17:52

GagaJo I don't think our political ideals are that far apart; I'm also a Labour supporter but I believe that they have a better chance of being elected under Keir Starmer than at any time since Blair. But like other posters, I'm not clear what I should be alarmed about here. Hence my post saying "please tell us".

Callistemon Wed 20-Jan-21 00:01:14

His job will allegedly be Social Listening and Organising Manager.

Is Gransnet top of his list?
???

Beckett Wed 20-Jan-21 06:39:17

Why can't I help thinking the reaction would be different if it was being reported a Tory leader had employed a former Israeli spy

GagaJo Wed 20-Jan-21 08:30:28

Chewbacca, no one said you had to be alarmed. I am disappointed AND it is interesting. That is all.

David0205 Wed 20-Jan-21 08:40:25

It seems logical to me that if the Labour Party is having problems with antisemitism that an Israeli would be a good choice to handle communications. It would be hard to see him criticized for bias.

lemongrove Wed 20-Jan-21 10:10:07

I agree David and hope any critics are only objecting to his
Undercover electronic surveillance past and not his nationality or religion.
If true, his last experience would make him qualified to take on this new job wouldn’t it?

Grany Wed 20-Jan-21 10:32:04

I agree with you GagaJo Starmer is taking Labour right doesn't look good at all.

He is all about BOD who support Israel they represent only 40% of Jews He won't listen to the left wing Jews and have purged them from Labour Party.

I think an initiative like The Peace and Justice Campaign is more than needed now people can get behind this and give people hope.

Anniebach Wed 20-Jan-21 10:49:21

But Jewish MP’s didn’t get peace and justice with Corbyn as leader.

GagaJo Wed 20-Jan-21 12:13:15

Was there no way he could set a % requirement for employees within Labour that were Jewish? A bit like US has affirmative action?

WHY appoint someone with such a suspect past, but also, why an Israeli ex spy? So many Jews do not support the violence perpetrated towards Palestine.

lemongrove Wed 20-Jan-21 14:36:02

So your objection is that he is an Israeli citizen really?
Would you feel differently if he happened to be Palestinian, with a past working in spying, hacking and encryption?

lemongrove Wed 20-Jan-21 14:38:19

Am thinking that his expertise is the reason he has been hired, if your source is correct about him really being hired in the first place.

GagaJo Wed 20-Jan-21 14:43:11

No, I think I would feel the same way LG.