Intelligence on Syria? No thanks
20 years ago, Omer Haitam was sent to Romania by Syrian intelligence, where he assimilated and met success as politician, until he was embroiled in political scandal two years ago and was arrested. In return for aid in gaining his release, Haitam offered Israel classified information on Syria through his lawyer, but Foreign Ministry refused to convey his offer to Mossad
Romanian politician Omer Haitam had links to the topmost echelons in Syria, including the president, owing to his familial relationship to long-term Syrian Defense Minister Mustafa Tlas. According to Haitam’s Israeli attorney, Mordechai Tzivin, Haitam was the one who “cut coupons” from the weapons deal signed two years ago between Russia and Syria. Moreover, according to Tzibin, his client had ties with Hizbullah.
Upon his arrival in Romania roughly two decades ago, Haitam succeeded in assimilating into local society and became a top activist in the ruling social-democratic party. However, two years ago, in attempt to advance the interests of his party, he staged the kidnapping of three Romanian journalists in Iraq and was caught and jailed.
In prison, Haitam claimed that he had intestinal cancer and appealed to Israeli Attorney Tzivin for help gaining his release. Tzivin, for his part, agreed to represent Haitam on condition that he cooperate with Israel. Haitam agreed and his lawyer, who has ties to the Foreign Ministry in Jerusalem, hurried to notify the ministry’s legal advisor, asking that the details be conveyed to the Mossad.
However, much to Tzivin’s surprise, his offer was met with a refusal claiming “the ministry does not deal with such issues.” Tzivin said he was even more astonished to hear that the ministry maintains work contacts with the Mossad, but did not see it as appropriate to transmit the information.
Refusing to give up, Tzivin conveyed the offer to the Mossad via alternate channels. In the end, the details of the proposal finally reached their intended destination.
In any case, Tzivin was still rattled by the disinterest of the Foreign Ministry, and on Sunday of this week he filed a complaint with the police against the ministry’s legal advisor, Attorney Ehud Keinan, for negligence on the job. “I don’t claim to understand their security considerations, but the man is well-known for his links to Syria. I was shocked when I heard their response,” Tzibin said.
And what about Haitam? The politician was eventually released from prison, and managed to escape back to Syria.
In response to Tzivin’s complaint, the Foreign Ministry said the claims were “vexing,” and added that “since the complaint was filed with the police, they should be contacted for a response in the matter.”
