Former UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has made a surprising claim in his upcoming memoir, Unleashed, alleging that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu left a bugging device in his bathroom during a 2017 visit to Britain. At the time of the incident, Johnson was serving as the UK’s Foreign Secretary, a position he held from 2016 to 2018.
Discovery of a listening device
In his book, Johnson writes that the device was discovered by security personnel during a routine sweep of his Foreign Office bathroom following Netanyahu’s visit.
The bathroom in question, which Johnson described fit for “gents in a posh London club,” was situated in a “secret annex,” in the foreign office premises.
“Thither Bibi repaired for a while, and it may or may not be a coincidence, but I am told that later when they were doing a regular sweep for bugs, they found a listening device in the thunderbox,” Johnson wrote.
When asked by The Daily Telegraph for further details, Johnson declined to elaborate, stating, “I think everything you need to know about that episode is in the book.” It is unclear whether the UK government formally raised the issue with Israel after the device was discovered.
Other revelations in ‘Unleashed‘
In addition to the bugging allegations, Johnson’s memoir makes several other explosive claims. One of the most notable is his assertion that Queen Elizabeth II suffered from bone marrow cancer. Johnson also accuses French President Emmanuel Macron of attempting to give the UK a “punishment beating” over Brexit, a reflection of Macron’s frustration with the UK’s departure from the European Union.
Israel and spying allegations
This is not the first time Israel has been accused of spying on allied nations. In 2019, Politico reported that Israeli operatives were allegedly involved in a surveillance operation near the White House, tricking mobile phones into revealing location and identity data.
While Netanyahu denied the allegation, then-President Donald Trump said it was “hard to believe.” Similarly, the UK has faced accusations of spying on Israel, with a 2016 Le Monde report claiming the UK had spied on the Israeli government and diplomatic missions abroad.
Anticipation for memoir release
With its official release date set for October 10, Unleashed is expected to reveal further details about Johnson’s time in office and his relationships with global leaders. The memoir is already making waves for its bold and controversial claims, heightening anticipation for more insights from Johnson’s tenure as one of the UK’s most colorful political figures.