Israel's attorney general has ordered an investigation into police surveillance tactics amid reports that law enforcement improperly used a disputed hacking tool.
A report by the Calcalist financial daily describing misuse by police of the Pegasus spyware made by Israel's NSO Group - a company now on a U.S. government blacklist - has already spurred parliament to seek an explanation from police officials.
Calcalist, without citing sources, reported that police used Pegasus against targets including anti-government protest leaders, sometimes without the required court warrants. The report added a new domestic angle to global pressure on Israel following allegations that Pegasus has been abused by some foreign client governments to spy on human rights activists, journalists and politicians.
Police commissioner Kobi Shabtai said on Thursday police were carrying out an internal investigation that so far had not uncovered any misuse.