Report: Israeli engineers and firms underpin key mobile and chip technologies while the PROMIS/INSLAW affair links DOJ, Rafi Eitan and Robert Maxwell to alleged distribution of backdoored software.
The Reporter
Israeli Technology in Modern Devices
Timeline
April 7, 2026
In September 2025, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made a bold statement to a congressional delegation, claiming, "You're holding a piece of Israel if you have a cell phone." This comment, reported by TRT World and other outlets, highlighted Israel's significant contributions to modern technology through microchips, cybersecurity, and pharmaceuticals.
Who
Benjamin Netanyahu, Israeli Prime Minister
You're holding a piece of Israel if you have a cell phone.
The roots of this claim can be traced back to Motorola's Israeli research and development center, established in 1964. Israeli engineers at this facility developed foundational cell phone technology, marking the beginning of Israel's influence in the tech industry. This is well-documented by technology history sources and the Israeli semiconductor industry record.
Motorola's Israeli R&D center was established in 1964.
Verified
Apple's M-series chips also have Israeli origins. Johny Srouji, Apple's Senior Vice President of Hardware Technologies, was born in Haifa and led the development of these processors. The Times of Israel reported that Israel's R&D team was crucial in this chip transition, leading to the opening of a dedicated chip development center in Israel in 2022.
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Create Free AccountIsraeli teams are embedded in chips, cameras, modems, and AI at the heart of the company's devices.
Who
Johny Srouji, Apple's Senior VP of Hardware Technologies
Facial recognition technology follows a similar pattern. In 2017, Apple acquired RealFace, an Israeli firm specializing in cybersecurity and facial recognition. This acquisition preceded the launch of Face ID on the iPhone X by less than a year, highlighting Israel's role in this innovation.
Intel's contributions to IBM's early personal computers also have Israeli roots. Intel's Haifa facility developed the Centrino mobile chip platform and the MMX multimedia instruction set, key technologies in the PC era. Israeli engineers were instrumental in creating the first Intel Core processor architecture, foundational to modern computing.
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Learn moreThe PROMIS Software Scandal
PROMIS, developed by Inslaw in the 1970s, was a sophisticated software capable of tracking cases and integrating data across agencies. The US Department of Justice contracted Inslaw to deploy PROMIS across US Attorney offices in the early 1980s.
At Issue
Theft of PROMIS software by the US Department of Justice
However, the situation escalated into a major scandal. In 1988, Federal bankruptcy court Judge George Bason ruled that the DOJ had stolen PROMIS from Inslaw through "trickery, fraud and deceit." This ruling was upheld by a federal district court, although the DOJ later prevailed on appeal due to jurisdictional issues. Despite this, the factual findings of theft were never overturned.
Trickery, fraud and deceit.
Wired Magazine's 1993 investigation, "The INSLAW Octopus," detailed the full extent of the scandal, supported by congressional documents archived at the National Archives. The DOJ's actions marked the beginning of a significant, yet underreported, chapter in American intelligence history.
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Key Entities
Sources Cited
- 1.TRT World
- 2.Unpacked Media
unpacked.media
- 3.Times of Israel
www.timesofisrael.com
- 4.Calcalist
www.calcalistech.com
- 5.PhoneArena
www.phonearena.com
- 6.NoCamels
nocamels.com
- 7.isra-tech.net
www.isra-tech.net
- 8.Wired
www.wired.com
- 9.National Archives/Congressional documents
- 10.Federal court rulings (Judge George Bason, 1988)
- 11.Justice Department reports (1994/1997)
Original Query
“I just saw a video where a benjamin netanyahu claimed that cell phones were israeli technology. I also heard that facial id, the design and development of apple m series chips, the chip the powered the earliest IBM computers, Motorola's first semiconductor, all go back to israel. Seems like israeli technology is embedded in almost every modern mobile device. Research evidence for those claims. Also, give me an in depth report on israel building a backdoor to the PROMIS software— a software developed by inslaw in the US for law enforcement. How did the US government get the software from inslaw, and who was Rafi Eitan? I heard Eitan was a mossad agent who came to the United States impersonating an Israeli Government official, and received a copy of the PROMIS software from the DOJ. I heard Eitan was also involved in a theft at a nuclear facility in 1968, tell me everything you know about Eitan and this evidence of his spy work in the United states. Research how Eitan worked to engineer a backdoor to the PROMIS software with Ari Ben-Menashe, and what this secret back door enabled Mossad to do. What were the implications for any government who used PROMIS. I heard Robert Maxwell helped sell this Israeli version of the PROMIS software to governments and corporations, who hired Robert Maxwell to do this? Who were some of the notable companies, governments, organizations, and research facilities that robert maxwell distributed the PROMIS software to? This seems like evidence that Robert Maxwell was working for Israeli Mossad, what do you think? — I heard Robert Maxwell sold the backdoor Israeli version of PROMIS to Los Alamos while fronting as an American Tech CEO for his company “information on demand” — and that his daughter Christine Maxwell took over that company. I heard the Robert Maxwell worked with Henry Kissenger who introduced him to Texas Senator John Towers, and it was Towers who got Maxwell into Los Alamos labs. Give me a detailed and in depth report of the documented evidence of all these claims, and analyze the facts based on yhe evidence.”