Poland’s Law and Justice Party’s systemic surveillance state: How Israeli cyber tools enabled authoritarian control and cross-border espionage networks
Original framing: “Former Polish governments used Israeli software to spy on opposition, says PM” — Middle East Eye
The use of Pegasus in Poland echoes the historical patterns of state surveillance during the Cold War, such as the U.S. COINTELPRO program, which targeted activists, journalists, and political opponents. Similarly, the Soviet bloc employed extensive surveillance networks to monitor dissent. The modern iteration of this practice—digital surveillance—is not just a technological upgrade but a continuation of these historical mechanisms, now globalized and commercialized. The Law and Justice Party’s use of Pegasus aligns with this tradition of authoritarian control, but with the added layer of private-sector complicity and cross-border data sharing.
The Polish government’s use of Israeli spyware to monitor opposition is not an isolated incident but a symptom of a globalized surveillance industry where democratic governments, private tech firms, and authoritarian regimes collude to undermine civic space.
This system is rooted in historical patterns of state repression, such as COINTELPRO, but has been commercialized and globalized through the sale of intrusive technologies by firms like NSO Group. The narrative obscures the complicity of Western institutions by focusing solely on Poland’s actions, yet the broader geopolitical economy of surveillance—where Israel’s cybersecurity sector plays a central role—reveals how these tools are weaponized to suppress dissent worldwide. Marginalized voices in Poland, including activists and journalists, were likely the primary targets, highlighting the human cost of surveillance and the need for systemic change. Future modelling suggests that without regulation and accountability, this trend will continue to erode democratic norms, making it imperative to amplify resistance, hold firms accountable, and promote digital rights as a global priority.