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Shin Bet Chief Yuval Diskin
Photo: Yaron Brener

Shin Bet chief: Arab MKs flirting with enemy

New Wikileaks documents shine unkind light on security officials assessments, opinions of Arab MKs, who 'abuse diplomatic immunity'

Six months after the Wikileaks scandal began, more classified documents are being revealed, this time about Israel: the website published various cables on Israel and Mideast issues, including information regarding the negotiations for the release of kidnapped IDF soldier Gilad Shalit, Israeli security officials' opinions on Arab Knesset members, predictions as to the viability of various Arab regimes and many other secret cables.

 

The documents were published Friday by Yedioth Ahronoth. Wikileaks has declared it intends to release thousands of additional documents over the next few weeks.

 

According to the leaked documents, in one instance, Shin Bet Chief Yuval Diskin offered American counterparts, the organization's stance on the sensitive subject of Israeli Arabs; many of whom "have taken their liberties too far."

 

According to the leaked cables, Diskin said that some in the Israeli-Arab public see themselves as Arabs and Muslims first and Israeli citizens last. He also criticized the Arab MKs, saying they were "flirting with the enemy."

 

The Shin Bet chief allegedly said that "(…) these people don’t spread Israel's democratic values and principles, and abuse their diplomatic immunity." He also attributed the problem to Palestinian refugees who return to Israel and "brought bad ideas" with them.

 

Diskin further criticizes the Israel Police in the documents, saying it was their "incompetence" that forced the Shin Bet to interfere in former Balad Chairman Azmi Bishara's supposed espionage case, saying his organization "would welcome him back to Israel." Bishara fled Israel in 2007, and is facing a lengthy prison sentence should he return.

 

Know thy region

Other classified documents from 2007 – long before unrest swept though the Mideast – saw Director of Military Intelligence Major-General Amos Yadlin state that Syrian President Bashar Assad's regime is unlikely to survive another war with Israel.

 

Mossad Chief Meir Dagan echoed the sentiment at the time, further expressing his concern over the instability of several Middle East regimes.

 

Dagan said that the Israeli defense establishment felt that the regimes in Egypt, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon were unstable – an assessment proved right in early 2011.

 

Other cables state that a US congressman suggested at one time that Assad serve as the mediator in the Shalit deal. The Syrian president refused, citing he was unsure whether then-Prime Minister Ehud Olmert would agree. Another possible candidate was Muammar Gaddafi's son, Saif al-Islam Gaddafi, who offered his services in the matter to the Americans.

 

A document discussing possible overtures in the Israeli-Syrian peace talks, said Assad refused Israel's request to return the remains of Israeli spy, who was executed in Syria in 1965; citing that "this is a national case… the Syrian people would never accept it."

 

A later document from 2007, saw Assad change his mind on the matter, saying "anything can be discussed during peace talks."

 

 

 

 

 

 


פרסום ראשון: 04.08.11, 10:50
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