Jeen Technologies, a company that didn't exist as an independent entity two years ago, has secured NIS 8.6 million in defense contracts in just three months and now operates inside every major Israeli security agency, raising questions about the rapid militarization of civilian AI technology and the blurring line between commercial innovation and state surveillance infrastructure.
The enterprise AI company's defense subsidiary, Jeen Defense, received its second NIS 4.3 million order this month from a single strategic defense customer, part of a framework agreement signed in March valued at up to NIS 45 million over two years. CEO Oded Tahori said the company began as a civilian robotics spinoff within One Technologies just a year and a half ago. "I didn't think what we were developing was meant for defense," he said. "But they came to us, saw the platform, and now we're embedded across the defense agencies."
From Civilian Tech to Military Infrastructure
Jeen has raised $25 million and grown to nearly 140 employees, with offices in Singapore, London and New York. Its Israel hub serves as the R&D and implementation center. The company's leadership includes former senior figures from Israel's intelligence community: a former R&D manager of the Mossad, the Mossad's former head of research, and a former data manager at the Shin Bet. The defense division is led by Nir Mitchell, a former combat officer in the IAF's elite Shaldag unit and a senior official in the Prime Minister's Office.
Tahori described Jeen's main product as an agentic AI platform capable of running entirely offline, a requirement for defense and intelligence bodies that cannot use cloud-based systems like OpenAI. "Defense bodies in Israel understand that there is a company that can deliver AI without the internet," he said. "They cannot work with OpenAI or global cloud systems, especially when it comes to intelligence."
The platform is already used by large Israeli defense contractors, with what Tahori said are thousands of users. Over the past year, Jeen has begun working with all major defense agencies in Israel, providing AI tools for intelligence analysis, operational planning and administrative workflows. "We're shaping how defense agencies work with AI at scale," Tahori said. "For intelligence, for operations, for commanders who need cognitive support when they're exhausted. Systems don't feel stressed."
A Sovereign Palantir
Tahori said the company aims to build the Israeli equivalent of Palantir, the U.S. data analytics firm deeply embedded in American military and intelligence operations. "We're already showing Jeen as part of Israel's defense capability in generative AI," he said. "You cannot depend on global organizations. The tech needs to work without the cloud — efficiently, and independently."
Jeen describes itself as a dual-use company, bringing civilian AI capabilities into defense applications. Its technology has been adopted by major civilian institutions, including Bank Mizrahi, the Israel Electric Corporation and Maccabi Healthcare Services. But its rapid integration into Israel's defense and intelligence apparatus — and the recruitment of former Mossad and Shin Bet officials — signals a strategic pivot that goes well beyond commercial diversification.
Why This Matters:
The speed with which a civilian AI startup has become embedded across Israel's defense and intelligence agencies reflects the country's broader strategy of leveraging its tech sector for military advantage. It also raises uncomfortable questions about oversight, accountability, and the use of AI in military operations that affect millions of Palestinians living under Israeli control. Generative AI systems designed for "intelligence analysis" and "operational planning" will inevitably be used in the occupied West Bank and Gaza, where Israeli security forces operate with broad legal immunity. There's no indication that Jeen's contracts include human rights impact assessments or restrictions on use in occupied territory. As Israel deepens its reliance on AI-driven military systems, the gap between technological capability and legal accountability continues to widen. The international community has yet to establish binding standards for the use of AI in conflict zones, leaving companies like Jeen free to operate in a regulatory void.",
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