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A question of priorities
Ronen Bergman slams Shin Bet’s misguided efforts to prevent leaks, bully reporters
Ronen Bergman
The Shin Bet is an excellent intelligence service and one of the best of its kind in the world; it is among the only ones to successfully tackle the challenge of radical Islamic terrorism. Prime Minister Netanyahu rightfully
pled with Shin Bet Director Yuval Diskin to remain at his post.
However, this ongoing success story has one regrettable anomaly – the issue of tackling Jewish terrorism. The very late detainment
of Yaakov Teitel and its publication precisely 14 years after Rabin’s
assassination are just two examples of this failure.
| Special Report |
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| Teitel operated by Shin Bet in past / Ynet |
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Yedioth Ahronoth reveals general security service attempted to recruit 'Jewish terrorist' as source of information on extreme right-wing elements several years ago |
| Full Story |
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However, some of the responsibility for the failure is born by the Shin Bet itself. It has to do with odd priorities and the utilization of limited resources.
Here is one example, which isn’t the only one: About a year and a half ago, Yedioth Ahronoth published a story by this author that revealed a historic affair pertaining to the Shin Bet. It included an embarrassing secret for a man who later became one of the strongest people in the State of Israel, a sort of puppet master. This affair had nothing secret about it – the states and spy agencies involved in it no longer exist. There are also no secret methods or sophisticated means involved in it. It’s merely another spy story buried deep in the archives.
Yet the Shin Bet, prompted by heavy pressure from the abovementioned individual, attempted to prevent to story’s publication via the censor and was denied. Next, it took off the gloves. Officials invited this writer for a talk at the office of the Shin Bet’s chief and explained to him how sensitive this 30-year-old story is. Meanwhile, these people, who were supposed to look for Teitel, launched an operation to nab the person who leaked the terrible secret to the media.
A senior official appointed himself to head this operation. It was the same man who in the past sustained harsh criticism after heading the Elhanan Tannenbaum investigative team and agreeing to a plea bargain with him whereby the State forgave his drug offences and other sins. The senior official, who was very angry at the media, did not spare any resources in order to act against it.
This affair required the investment of countless hours and efforts by dozens of people in the Shin Bet and police, including the utilization of electronic means in an effort to identify the person who leaked the embarrassing secret. Many people were summoned for an interrogation, and an arrest warrant was issued against some of them. Meanwhile, senior police officers and technical police teams took part in the operation in order to sow fear in the hearts of those interrogated.
Had only some of these means been utilized against Teitel in the wake of his arrest in 2002, this story may have turned out differently.
Two weeks ago, in a pensioners’ forum session closed to the public, the Shin Bet chief made note of the above story in a threatening tone, hinting that he will again order harsh measures against those who share embarrassing secrets with the media. He urged his audience not to publicize his remarks.
This is not the only case, but rather, part of several investigations being managed only over affairs where problematic information is published; such probes never follow leaks that prompt flattering news reports.
Two years ago, the Shin Bet’s operational unit put the Mossad’s deputy chief and several journalists under surveillance in order to find out whether he leaked to them unflattering information about the boss, Meir Dagan (who subsequently fired the deputy.) Meanwhile, another affair involving the Shin Bet, a matter
that dates back 35 years, saw two Yedioth Ahronoth reporters (Rami Tal and this writer) investigated on suspicion of espionage, no less, on the grounds that we hold classified documents at home.
Indeed, a secret organization is allowed to make an effort to prevent leaks. On the other hand, it must not follow journalists and try to scare them with interrogations under warning.
There is no doubt that the Shin Bet is an excellent organization, but you’ll be in trouble if you dare write that it isn’t.
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