'Israel ranked 3rd most aggressive intelligence service against US'
In new NSA document leaked by Edward Snowden, Israel is said to spy on US to learn its true positions on Mideast issues.
A new NSA document, stolen by whistleblower Edward Snowden and released recently through journalist Glenn Greenwald, states that CIA investigations "ranked Israel the third most aggressive intelligence service against the US," according to a Newsweek report on Friday.
The NSA addressed America's complex intelligence relationship with Israel in the document, saying that, "The Israelis are extraordinarily good (Signals Intelligence) partners for us, but on the other (hand), they target us to learn our positions on Middle East problems."
Cooperation between the two countries may be unparalleled when spying on third parties, but the leaked paper puts Israel just behind China and Russia in its attempts to gather intelligence on the US.
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Hagel says is not aware of Israel spying on US
Meanwhile, US Secretary of Defense Chuck Hagel visited Israel on Thursday and responded to the Newsweek reports saying that, "I have heard of that report. I'm not aware of any facts that would substantiate the report."
Hagel's Israeli counterpart Moshe Ya'alon said, "As former head of (IDF) intelligence, I wasn't allowed to spy in the United States whatsoever. And as defense minister I don't allow spying in the United States whatsoever."
