Court Hands Israeli Man Three-Year Sentence in Iran Espionage Case

In a chilling reminder of the security threats facing Israel during times of war, the Jerusalem District Court has sentenced Elimelech Stern to three years in prison for conspiring with Iranian intelligence. The court found Stern guilty of maintaining contact with a foreign agent and agreeing to carry out hostile assignments, despite knowing or strongly suspecting that he was aiding an enemy state.

Stern’s month-long contact with an Iranian operative, who used the alias “Anna Ellena,” took place via Telegram from June 2 to June 27, 2024. The relationship was far from casual. The court described it as “daily, intensive,” with Stern completing a significant number of missions in a short time. Payments were made in cryptocurrency, and two additional Israeli citizens were brought in to help execute the tasks.

While Stern admitted to the factual claims laid out in the indictment, he insisted he lacked criminal intent and claimed he wasn’t certain Anna represented a hostile regime. The court, however, rejected that defense outright.

“He preferred to turn a blind eye,” wrote Judge Chana Miriam Lomp in the ruling. “He refrained from severing the relationship or conducting an inquiry that could have dispelled the suspicion.”

According to the indictment, Stern's assignments were security-related, politically charged, and nationalistic in nature. Some of them failed due to operational complications, but the court stressed that his willingness to carry them out posed a significant risk to the state. The brief but intense cooperation with the foreign agent reflected a clear intent to contribute to harmful acts against Israel’s national interest.

This conviction is part of a broader pattern, officials say, as Iran continues to seek Israeli collaborators during wartime in an attempt to destabilize the country from within. The court highlighted this as a growing trend that demands vigilance and swift legal response.

Stern’s case serves as a warning: even brief and indirect cooperation with enemy operatives can carry serious consequences under Israeli law. National loyalty cannot be compromised especially at a time when the country faces existential threats both on the battlefield and in cyberspace.

Israel remains steadfast in defending itself not only with advanced weaponry and intelligence but with the rule of law. Stern’s sentence reflects a firm stance: betrayal of the nation will not go unanswered.

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