Beit Shemesh Yeshiva Student Convicted Spying for Iran

Elimelech Stern, a 22-year-old ultra-Orthodox yeshiva student from Beit Shemesh, was convicted by the Jerusalem District Court of espionage for Iran, specifically for contact with a foreign agent and conspiracy to make threats. Stern communicated with an Iranian intelligence operative using the alias 'Anna Elena' via Telegram and carried out tasks including posting anti-Gaza war flyers, recruiting others for assignments, and planning to send threatening packages to Israeli officials. He received cryptocurrency payments for these activities and recruited two additional Israelis to assist him. Although Stern claimed he was unaware that 'Anna' was a foreign agent and alleged rights violations during his investigation, the court found he harbored suspicions about her identity from the start. The court noted Stern refused some high-risk tasks due to fear of imprisonment. Stern’s lawyer requested consideration for probation due to his young age, but the conviction stands as one of the first espionage convictions against Israeli citizens working for Iran.