The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported Wednesday that Mosab Yousef, the 32-year-old son of Sheik Hassan Yousef, a Hamas founder serving a six-year term in an Israeli prison, was a spy for Shin Bet, Israel’s security service. They say Yousef provided intelligence to Israel for more than a decade, which prevented dozens of Hamas attacks against Israelis, including suicide bombings, and saved hundreds of lives. The paper said he also helped put several senior Palestinian operatives behind bars.
The spy affair comes after Hamas is still reeling from suspicions that Hamas informants helped Israel assassinate a top Hamas operative in a Dubai.
Hamas dismissed Yousef’s claims as a lie and said they were part of an Israeli attempt to weaken the movement. However, the Yousef’s father did not rule out that his son was an informer, saying he was blackmailed by Israeli agents when he was a teenager.
Yousef’s memoir, “Son of Hamas,” is being published in the United States next week. His publicist confirmed that the information presented by Haaretz is described in the book. The author wrote on his Facebook page that his memoir “will blow your minds away, it is going to be like a tsunami in the Middle East.”
Mosab Yousef was thought of as one of Shin Bet’s most valuable assets and was called “The Green Prince,” a reference to his Hamas pedigree and the group’s signature green color, Haaretz said.
The newspaper said it confirmed Yousef’s account with Shin Bet agents, including his handler, “Captain Loai”. The report said he converted to Christianity, despised Hamas and acted out of ideological conviction.
Analysts said the revelations hurt Hamas’ image and were sure to trigger new security concerns in the movement.
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