The agreement places no legally binding limits on the use of the data by the Israelis
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Sounds like a convenient arrangement to have the Israelis sift through the data for “good stuff” that could be used for purposes other than national security. Just sayin...
This is actually pretty clever on the part of the NSA.
NSA procedures prevent NSA employees from investigating US persons in most cases if communications are entirely within the US. That way most NSA employees can feel like they aren’t violating the inalienable rights of their countrymen. However, if all data are sent to Israel, their signals people can process the data and investigate triggered communications.
Sure, the source document cited by the Guardian article stipulates that 4th Amendment guarantees are to be upheld. And, if you believe that interpretation corresponds to the plain meaning of the words of the 4th Amendment, well, think again. And, if you believe Israeli intelligence services cares about any interpretation of the 4th Amendment, you’re hopeless.
The Israelis could collect and maintain information that would be illegal and unconstitutional for US agencies to be fooling with. The Israelis would also be immune from FOIA requests, and they tend to have fewer leaks.
It's something that's been done before, for example police agencies using the Anti-Defamation League to maintain info on people:
February 26, 1993|By Los Angeles TimesSAN FRANCISCO -- A private intelligence network with ties to an American Jewish group and South Africa is under investigation for illegally tapping into police sources and collecting information on the political activities of more than 12,000 people, authorities say.
As part of the investigation, San Francisco authorities say they have confiscated files containing personal information on a wide range of political activists, ethnic advocates, writers and other U.S. residents. Much of the information allegedly is from confidential government data banks and police agencies.
One former San Francisco police intelligence officer, who allegedly funneled police files to the spy operation, is under investigation on allegations that he sold confidential information about hundreds of people to the South African government. After he was questioned in November by the FBI, which began the investigation, he fled to the Philippines.
Most of the information, however, appears to have been collected on behalf of the Anti-Defamation League, a nationwide organization that is dedicated to fighting anti-Semitism and bigotry. Officials of the organization, as well as its paid undercover operatives, could face charges for gathering intelligence illegally, authorities said, but spokesmen for the league denied any wrongdoing.