In past HN conversations about this topic, there have always been some who deny or downplay the relationship between NSO and the Israeli government. This article paints a convincing story to the contrary: NSO and the rest of Israel's cyberoffense industry were/are used as a negotiating chip by Israeli diplomats. NSO only exported their technology/services with the approval of the Israeli government, and Israeli courts have cleared the Israeli government of any negligence in that approval process.