By Ali Abunimah

September 14, 2019 "Information Clearing House" - Benjamin Netanyahu categorically denies a report in Politico that Israel placed sophisticated eavesdropping devices near the White House.

“We have a directive, I have a directive, no intelligence work in the United States, no spies. And it’s vigorously implemented, without any exception,” the Israeli prime minister said in response to the report.

“It is a complete fabrication, a complete fabrication.”

Amos Yadlin, a former Israeli intelligence chief, is even trying to discredit the Politico report with the usual smear of anti-Semitism:

But there are good reasons to believe that it is Netanyahu who is lying.

As difficult as it may be to prove, given the nature of intelligence work, almost no one – certainly not the US officials quoted by Politico – doubts that Israel does spy on the US.

Almost no one – except Donald Trump who credulously accepted Netanyahu’s denial at face value.