Israel to investigate Pegasus spyware allegations tied to Netanyahu, others

Israel announced it was setting up a national inquiry on Monday after a newspaper reported illicit use by police of powerful spyware against confidantes of former prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other public figures.

Pegasus, a cellphone hacking tool made by Israel’s NSO Group, was used to “phish for intelligence even before any investigation had been opened against the targets, and without judicial warrants,” Calcalist said in an unsourced report.

NSO says all its sales are government-authorized and that it does not itself run Pegasus.

Calcalist said targets in Israel included a son of and two aides to Netanyahu — who