Israeli officials downplay damage of Trump sharing intelligence with Russia

TEL AVIV, Israel — With President Trump arriving in Israel next week as part of his first overseas trip, Israeli government officials maintained a disciplined silence Wednesday about his disclosure to Russian diplomats of highly classified intelligence obtained by Israel.

Israel has not denied reports that it was the source of the information about an Islamic State plot that Trump shared with Russia. Instead, officials said the leak wouldn't change the long-standing ties between the United States and Israel.

“The security relationship between Israel and our great ally the United States is deep, meaningful and unprecedented in its scope and contribution to our strength,” Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman tweeted. “That is how it has been and that is how it will continue to be.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who viewed President Barack Obama as a poor ally and greeted Trump’s election with barely disguised joy, was left politically exposed by the recent developments.

“Official Israel will not change its tone, but you might see the right-wing turn the pressure up on (Netanyahu),” said Gideon Rahat, a political science professor at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. “I don’t think the government wants to have any problems on a first visit, so they are trying to whitewash in public something Trump may well pay a price for further on, beyond what is publicly visible."

Sallai Meridor, who was Israeli ambassador to the U.S. from 2005 to 2009, said the substance of Israeli-American ties would override whatever damage has been caused by the breach.

“I think Trump can expect a very warm reception here, regardless of the stories," Meridor said. "I think Israelis' basic warm feelings toward America and the Israeli perception that Trump and his administration hold fundamentally pro-Israel positions will guide the visit."

“It is neither the first nor the last time a head of state blurts out something that shouldn’t be said. But this time may be a bit worse than the others,” Sima Shine, former head of research at Mossad, Israel's vaunted intelligence agency, told USA TODAY.

Shine, currently a senior researcher at Tel Aviv’s Institute of National Security Studies, noted two important aspects of the incident. First, “the degree of detail revealed." And second, "that it went to the Russians. They make as if they’re fighting against ISIS, but they are allied to Iran and Hezbollah, who are not our friends, and to the Syrian government. That makes this a worse breach than others of this type.”

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Still, “it is not the end of the world," she said. "Relations between the United States and Israel at all levels, including intelligence, are so important to each side, including in the fight against ISIS, ... that I see no real chance future bilateral collaboration will be damaged.”