I don't understand why the NSO Group, and by extension Israel, has not been sanctioned over this spyware. It's a dangerous company that sells tools ripe for abuse to some of the West's worst anti-democractic enemies.
Politics.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/technology/2021/11/03/pegasus...
> "Fortunately for Obiang, coup-prone African governments rolling in oil but lacking in arms and intelligence to defend their bounty had a discrete alternative to the Pentagon and C.I.A. for defense support: Israel. Quietly, the Bush Administration encouraged Obiang to enter into security and commercial ties with Tel Aviv."
Azerbaijan is a similar example as US weapons sales were banned for human rights abuse reasons. A Wikileaked US State Dept cable stated (2009) "Through its close relations with Israel, Azerbaijan gets a level of access to the quality weapon systems it needs to develop its army that it can not obtain from the U.S. and Europe due to various legal limitations..."
If the dictatorial government funnels the oil money into the Western banking system, then the US turns a blind eye to this kind of thing (e.g. Saudi and UAE use of Pegasus to persecute pro-democracy activists) and if not, it's sanctions and regime change time.
I’d guess there are some deep benefits in having a strong partner selling this stuff compared to a rival. Not great for the target countries at all, but good for the Israeli and US intelligence apparatus.
It's mainly not "the wests" enemies contracting NSO, it is the west.