No more cell phones in cabinet meetings

Cell phones and other communication devices will no longer be allowed in cabinet meetings, cabinet secretary Oved Yehezkel informed ministers by memorandum Tuesday. The new regulation is part of a government policy to combat leaks to the media regarding sensitive issues discussed by the cabinet.

"You must deposit communication devices prior to entering the weekly government meeting. They will be returned to you at the end of the meeting," Yehezkel's note stated.

Sources from Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's office said that the prohibition of cellular phones at government meetings was suggested in the interim report released by the Winograd commission, and has since been advocated by a new committee established to determine how best to implement the Winograd commission's recommendations.

In response to the memorandum, one minister said that the regulation might harm routine government work, since having a cell phone allows ministers to communicate with their offices by text message regarding urgent issues while in the meeting.

He added that the new regulation is unnecessary, as many cabinet meetings do not deal with classified or security-related topics.

After this Sunday's cabinet metting, a rare media blackout was imposed on Shin Bet chief Yuval Diskin's briefing.

Yehezkel, along with Olmert's media advisor, Yanki Galanti, explained at a press conference that the briefing contained "sensitive information that was not meant to be exposed to the Israeli public or the Palestinians." They also said that the government was beginning to implement a new policy, meant to reduce leaks on sensitive issues.

According to the Prime Minister's Office, Yehezkel intends to adhere to the new policy strictly. In another attempt to reduce leaks, at last week's meeting the cabinet secretary also limited the number of people in the meeting room, removing ministerial aides and other participants who were only necessary for short parts of the meeting.