Lieberman pushes for security cabinet polygraph test to plug leaks
Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman and MK Robert Ilatov of Yisrael Beytenu push for legislation requiring security cabinet members to take mandatory, annual polygraph tests to prevent leaks.
The proposal was submitted by MK Robert Ilatov (Yisrael Beytenu) and is meant to "provide tools for dealing with leaks of information, espionage and the exposure of state secrets that can harm the national security of the State of Israel," the explanatory notes to the bill read.
The notes went on to detail that "The Ministerial Committee on National Security is responsible for the security of classified information, whose exposure to external elements is liable to harm the army, security services, and national security in accordance with its level of sensitivity."
Lieberman has espoused similar sentiments in the past, supporting some type of credibility check for cabinet officials exposed to discussions involving sensitive and/or classified content.
MK Ilatov added explained his reasons for spearheading the legislation. "The law was initiated as a result of repeated leaks from the cabinet which is a dangerous phenomenon that can harm the security of the citizens of the State of Israel," he said. "Cabinet discussions cannot be a tool for political leverage. As a member of the Foreign Affairs and Defense Committee, the severity of the acts chills me and we must put an end to this."
