Israel rejects claim Mossad backed judiciary overhaul protests

On Sunday, the Israeli government denied allegations made in papers reportedly stolen from the Pentagon that the head of Israel’s foreign intelligence organization, Mossad, had encouraged widespread demonstrations against a plan to reform the country’s court.

On Saturday, the New York Times reported, citing a March 1 Central Intelligence Update, that the leadership of Mossad had urged its employees and Israeli residents to participate in the major rallies. According to the article, just because the stolen papers seem official does not imply they are.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office issued a response calling the allegations “mendacious and without any substance whatsoever.”

Mossad and its leaders “did not and do not encourage agency workers to join the rallies against the government, political demonstrations, or any political action,” the statement reads.

Since his coalition of hard-right and religious parties came to power at the end of last year, Netanyahu’s reform proposal has aroused unprecedented public fury and prompted anxiety among Israel’s Western friends.

The proposed law would give parliament authority over judge selections and the power to overturn Supreme Court rulings.

Netanyahu caved in late March after weeks of mounting protests and said he would postpone the contentious measures to provide room for compromise negotiations with opposition parties.

On Friday, the U.S. Department of Justice said that it had initiated an investigation into the leak of the suspected papers, which spanned a variety of national security-related topics. The company refused to elaborate.