Foreign Ministry spokesman Aryeh Mekel officially denied knowledge of a report Tuesday night that the US has arrested an American Jew on charges of spying for the Jewish State from 1979 to 1985. Mekel said the ministry learned of the affair from media reports.

One defense official, who requested anonymity, told the Reuters news agency, "I find it hard to believe that after the Pollard affair we would recruit an American spy." Jonathan Pollard was sentenced to life in prison in the US on one charge of spying for Israel more than 20 years ago.