Former prime minister Naftali Bennett told a Jerusalem summit he organised the acquisition and covert movement of "tens of thousands" of Starlink satellite receivers into Iran to help protesters keep communicating. He said the plan was stopped by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government and therefore was not available when unrest erupted. Starlink, run by Elon Musk's SpaceX, is not licensed to operate in Iran but has reportedly been used there during internet blackouts. Bennett also said that, if returned to office, he would pursue non-military measures to try to undermine Tehran's government.
Bennett Says Israel Smuggled 'Tens Of Thousands' of Starlink Terminals Into Iran to Aid Protesters
FILE PHOTO: Illustration shows silhouette of Elon Musk and Tesla logo
JERUSALEM, June 23 (Reuters) — Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett told a Jerusalem policy summit on Tuesday that he had organised the acquisition and covert transfer of Starlink satellite receivers into Iran to help anti-government protesters maintain communications — but said the effort was halted before it could be fully deployed.
Speaking at the JNS International Policy Summit, Bennett said he had initiated a "process of acquiring and smuggling into Iran tens of thousands of Starlink receptors that would allow continuity of the internet and social networks." He added the equipment was intended to enable protesters to coordinate actions that could, in his view, help topple the Iranian government.
Starlink Context
Starlink, run by Elon Musk's SpaceX, provides satellite internet connections. The service is not licensed to operate in Iran, and Tehran has previously accused Israel and the United States of bringing the devices into the country to undermine its security. Musk has said Starlink has been active in Iran, and Reuters has reported that some Iranians turned to Starlink during internet blackouts.
"Unfortunately, the current incompetent Israeli government stopped doing that," Bennett said. "And when the protest happened, that infrastructure was not there."
Bennett criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration for stopping the operation, and Netanyahu’s office did not immediately respond to requests for comment. SpaceX was not available for comment outside U.S. business hours.
Internet Blackouts And Political Stakes
Iranian authorities have repeatedly restricted public internet access during periods of unrest, including during nationwide protests earlier this year and amid hostilities involving the U.S. and Israel that began in late February. Officials say such shutdowns are intended to curb unrest and external interference, while critics say they stifle dissent and hamper emergency communications.
Bennett, now the leader of a right-wing party and one of several opposition figures seeking to replace Netanyahu ahead of an election due by October, said that if returned to office he would pursue measures to undermine Iran’s government with the objective of toppling it. He said those measures could include steps short of direct military strikes, such as economic and industrial sabotage.
(Reporting by Alexander Cornwell and Steven Scheer)
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