Don't Mess with the IDF:Israeli Journalist in Hiding

Related to my previous posting about the secret arrest and trial of Israeli journalist Anat Kam, it now turns out that another journalist, Haaretz senior correspondent Uri Blau, is in hiding in London fearing that he too will be arrested and held in camera if he returns to Israel.

According to the Independent (and thanks to the Promised Land blog for the lead):

An Israeli journalist is in hiding in Britain, The Independent can reveal, over fears that he may face charges in the Jewish state in connection with his investigation into the killing of a Palestinian in the West Bank.

Uri Blau, a reporter at Israel's liberal newspaper, Haaretz, left town three months ago for Asia and is now in London. Haaretz is understood to be negotiating the terms of his return to Israel with prosecutors, according to an Israeli source, who declined to be identified, because of the sensitivity of the situation.

The news of Mr Blau's extended absence comes just days after it emerged that another Israeli journalist, Anat Kam, has been held under house arrest for the last three months on charges that she leaked classified documents to the press while completing her military service.

Although no media outlet or journalist has been specifically named as the recipient of the classified information, there is speculation on Israeli blogs that Ms Kam gave documents to Mr Blau that formed the basis of a story he wrote in November 2008.

Why the heavy handed and Kafkaesque crack down? The Independent continues:

In his article for Haaretz, Mr Blau reported that one or two Islamic Jihad militants killed in Jenin in June 2007 had been targeted for assassination in apparent violation of a ruling issued six months earlier by Israel's supreme court.

The story alleged that the order to assassinate Ziad Malisha was given by General Yair Naveh and approved and modified slightly by Gen Moti Ashkenazi (photo above), now chief of staff of the IDF. If true, both these generals would be liable for criminal charges in Israel (though the likelihood of any Israeli prosecutor attempting this are close to zero.) More to the point, they would be open to a civil suit in Israel, and possible criminal charged in various international courts.

And IDF generals don't like having their ethics challenged and more importantly having to worry about travel to Europe. Look at how hard they have resisted the Goldstone Report's call for an open and independent investigation into the Gaza War. (The Israeli press indicated that both the PM's office and the Israeli Foreign Ministry were inclined to agree to one, in light of strong international pressure, but it was vetoed by the IDF with strong backing from Defense Minister - and former IDF Chief Of Staff - Barak.)

Secret arrests and trials are rare in Israel, and have never (as far as we know) been used against journalists. I guess the generals are getting particularly testy, and in Israel the military brass usually gets what they want.

I am sure the lesson will not been lost on other Israeli journalists. The "free press" better not mess with the IDF.

Secret Trial in the "Only Democracy In the Middle East"

'Due to a gag order we cannot tell you what we know. Due to laziness, apathy and blind faith in the defense establishment we know nothing at all.' - Headline in Israeli Daily Maariv

According to the Jewish Telegraphic Agency, Israel has been holding a journalist, Anat Kam, under secret house arrest since last December based on allegations that during her military service she leaked classified documents suggesting that the Israeli army violated laws dealing with targeted killings.

No Israeli newspaper or media outlet is allowed to report this, though apparently the Israeli daily Haaretz has gone to court to ask that the secrecy order be lifted. That too cannot be reported on in Israel.

This in the "only democracy in the Middle East."

The incident, about which the journalist is alleged to have leaked the documents, revolved around orders given by Israeli Gen. Yair Naveh, then the head if central command, that permitted open-fire procedures upon identification of any of three leaders of Palestinian Islamic Jihad, even if it were not apparent that they posed a threat. Gen. Gabi Ashkenazi, the chief of staff then and now, approved the targets, adding that troops were to withhold fire only if they were unable to identify "more than one" passenger in the targeted vehicle.

Both orders seemingly violate Israeli law which requires that militants be arrested, and that they can only be shot at if they resist arrest.

Read the JTA account here.