A former CIA counterterrorism officer claims Israel knew the 9/11 attacks were coming and stayed quiet — an accusation that, if taken seriously, is damaging for US-Israel relations.

• Dozens of Israeli citizens were arrested in New York around 9/11, mostly for photographing sensitive sites, then quietly released after Israel asked for them back.
• The claim: Israel had people inside Al-Qaeda, knew an attack was coming, and said nothing because a US overreaction served its interests.
• The CIA at the time had no sources inside Al-Qaeda and was openly begging allies for help in the summer of 2001.
• The same logic is extended to today — chaos in Iraq, Libya, Syria, and now Iran is framed as good for Israel.

Outlook: This stays an unproven allegation, but it feeds a growing willingness in American media to question the US-Israel relationship out loud.