Full Breakdown
Israeli Citizen Sentenced for Contact with Iranian Intelligence Operative
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Conviction and Sentencing
Fares Abu al-Hija, a 32-year-old resident of Kaukab Abu al-Hija in northern Israel, was sentenced by the Haifa District Court to 55 months in prison after pleading guilty to contact with a foreign agent. The court’s decision, delivered by Judge Avi Levy, balanced the defendant’s confession, remorse, lack of a criminal record, and his parents’ serious medical conditions against the seriousness of the offenses and the need for general deterrence.
Background of the Spy Case
According to the indictment, Abu al-Hija communicated via Telegram from October 2025 to January 2026 with an individual who identified himself as “Martin.” Shin Bet later identified “Martin” as an Iranian intelligence operative. In exchange for payments transferred through the Binance app—approximately $3,600 in total—Abu al-Hija performed a series of tasks that included hiding and activating mobile phones in Haifa and Kiryat Haim, delivering an envelope with a cryptocurrency access code in Zikhron Ya‘akov, photographing a café in Tel Aviv, and photographing streets near the home of former Defense Minister Yoav Gallant in the community of Amikam.
Key Figures
- Fares Abu al-Hija – Defendant, convicted of contact with a foreign agent.
- Yoav Gallant – Former Israeli Defense Minister, target of surveillance.
- Judge Avi Levy – Presiding judge who issued the sentence.
- Shin Bet – Israeli Security Agency that identified the Iranian operative.
Timeline of Activities
- October 2025 – January 2026: Abu al-Hija exchanges messages with “Martin” and receives assignments.
- January 2026: He photographs streets near Gallant’s home in Amikam and sends the images to his handler.
- Subsequent weeks: Israeli security forces arrest Abu al-Hija in a coordinated operation by Shin Bet and the Israel Police’s Coastal District unit.
- Tuesday (date unspecified): The Haifa District Court delivers the 55-month sentence.
Judicial Reasoning and Sentencing Factors
The prosecution, represented by attorney Yaniv Zohar, sought a five-to-eight-year term, emphasizing the wartime context and potential harm to state security. Defense attorney Adel Dabbah argued that the acts were not of the highest severity and that Abu al-Hija lacked ideological motives. Judge Levy highlighted the planned, sustained nature of the conduct and the high potential harm, while also noting mitigating personal circumstances, leading to a sentence below the prosecution’s range.