Israeli Warnings of Increased Iranian Recruitment of Youth Online

Media sources quoted a senior Israeli security official as saying that there is growing concern about Iranian efforts to recruit Israeli youth, including teenagers, online. The source confirmed that this phenomenon is expanding and affecting diverse social segments, as Iran relies on methods of financial enticement to target minors and Internet users.

According to the same source, out of about 30 espionage cases dealt with in the past two years, only a few involved teenagers. However, the source stressed that the ability of Iranian elements to attract minors is significant and worrying.

This warning comes in the wake of charges against a 21-year-old man, Rafael Ruveni, of communicating with an Iranian agent while serving in the military, and carrying out tasks for him in exchange for a sum of money exceeding 10,000 shekels.

Details indicate that Ruveni was recruited through the "Telegram" application, where he initially received small sums of money, then the matter developed into photographing public places, hiding objects in a garden, and checking for a buried gun, before providing information about the military base in which he was serving.

It was also reported that the Iranians operate automated accounts ("bots") on the "Telegram" application within Israeli channels, where they publish job offers, offers to trade cryptocurrencies, and offers for dating, using colloquial Hebrew to attract young people and offer "easy money".

Reports indicated one of these automated accounts, which is named "VIP Employment", which offered high salaries in exchange for "working with Iran", and this account received more than 100 participation requests.

For his part, the head of the National Student Council warned of the lack of sufficient awareness among students about the dangers of espionage, noting that the temptations are increasing, especially with the spread of digital phenomena unfamiliar to many adults. He added that platforms such as "Roblox" allow unlimited communication that may be exploited for blackmail, in addition to the spread of gambling among teenagers, which increases the likelihood of their cooperation with Iranian agents in exchange for money.

Reports indicate that recruitment attempts begin with "simple" acts, such as photographing the gate of a school or military base, or writing slogans on walls, and then develop into burning property or carrying out field surveillance against Israeli targets. In one case, a minor hid money, distributed inciting posters, and added an Iranian agent to groups on the "WhatsApp" application.

The reports also indicated that espionage penalties in Israel are severe, and may reach imprisonment for 15 years or even life imprisonment, even in the case of merely communicating with a foreign agent. Officials called for "recruiting all resources" to confront this phenomenon.

The report raises questions about the role of the education system in this regard, as experts emphasize that schools should be "the most important social and moral line of defense" to strengthen belonging, identity and responsibility, and provide a safe environment that allows students to report any suspicious behavior.

In contrast, the Ministry of Education in the Israeli government stated that it considers promoting safe behavior on the Internet and preventing dangerous behaviors a "central goal" within its policies.