Senior officials in Israel's National Intelligence Agency Mossad have encouraged nationwide protests against the government's judicial reform among the agency's spies and the Israeli public, according to a Pentagon leak to The New York Times. The information alleges that Barnea gave permission for junior intelligence officials to participate in the protests after consulting with the Attorney General of Israel. However, participants were forbidden to call themselves members of this organization.

The alleged leak, believed to have originated from the Pentagon, is linked to a document containing information about Mossad's direct interference in Israeli political life.

Mossad denied the information mentioned by the newspaper, calling it "mendacious and without any foundation whatsoever."