Mandelson links to former head of Israel's military intelligence directorate revealed

Mandelson links to former head of Israel's military intelligence directorate revealed The UK government's vetting agency raised Peter Mandelson's associations with senior figures in Israel, China and Russia in denying the then-peer and former cabinet minister security clearance to be the ambassador to the US, it has emerged.

Earlier this year it was revealed that United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) had concluded Mandelson should be denied security clearance, but the Foreign Office permanent secretary granted it anyway. The Guardian newspaper reported on Wednesday that UKSV found Mandelson had links to a former Israeli military intelligence general, Tamir Hayman. Hayman was the head of Israel's military intelligence directorate from 2018 to 2021 and is now director of a Tel Aviv-based think tank called the Institute for National Security Studies (INNS).

Key points

• Earlier this year it was revealed that United Kingdom Security Vetting (UKSV) had concluded Mandelson should be denied security clearance, but the Foreign Office permanent secretary granted it anyway.
• The Guardian newspaper reported on Wednesday that UKSV found Mandelson had links to a former Israeli military intelligence general, Tamir Hayman.
• Hayman was the head of Israel's military intelligence directorate from 2018 to 2021 and is now director of a Tel Aviv-based think tank called the Institute for National Security Studies (INNS).