Israeli convicted of espionage for Iran sentenced to ten years

An Israeli court has sentenced Moti Maman to ten years in prison after convicting him of contact with a foreign agent, following meetings with Iranian intelligence officials.

In the court’s ruling, the judges emphasized that Maman’s actions were motivated by financial gain. They described how Maman entered an enemy state, contacted Iranian agents, received several thousand dollars from them, and even negotiated for a sum of one million dollars. Despite these dealings, Maman continued to publicly support Likud and Netanyahu on social media, raising questions about his political motivations.

The court also highlighted the sensitive timing of Maman's offenses, occurring during wartime when Iran represents a significant threat to Israel, with the IDF engaged on multiple fronts. His meetings with hostile entities in Iran, even after being warned of the risks, suggested that his ideological rationale might have played a greater role than his financial motives.

While Maman's past military service, including his participation in the first Lebanon War and his provision of supplies to military bases since the outbreak of the current war, was noted in his favor, the court still handed down a harsh sentence.

Maman, 72, had confessed to his crimes, admitting that he met with Iranian agents on Iranian soil. The indictment revealed that during these meetings, Maman discussed plans for potential terrorist acts on Israeli soil, aiming to damage the nation’s security. These meetings were allegedly spurred by Iran's desire to avenge the assassination of Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran.

Maman’s conviction marks the first such case during the ongoing Swords of Iron conflict. Several other Israeli citizens have been indicted for allegedly cooperating with Iranian agents to harm Israel and its citizens.