The Shin Bet filed a complaint Monday evening with Israel’s military censor against Channel 12 News, accusing the network of endangering Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu by revealing his visit to the United Arab Emirates while his plane was still outside Israeli airspace. The security service is demanding the network be prosecuted for what it calls a “serious censorship violation.”
2+Channel 12 reported last night that Netanyahu had traveled to the UAE and met with President Mohammed bin Zayed. The story appeared on the N12 website at 9:41 p.m., and the channel’s broadcast included footage about the meeting. But according to the Prime Minister’s Office, the broadcast revelation came at 9:38 p.m.—while Netanyahu’s plane was still far from Israeli borders. The aircraft didn’t land in Israel until 10:27 p.m., nearly 50 minutes after the report aired.
The Shin Bet views the timing as extremely serious, arguing the report not only exposed the secret visit but created danger while the operation was still underway. “Publishing the visit at the stage it was published created a risk to the security of the prime minister, the operation, and forces on the ground,” the Shin Bet said.
2+The agency also claims the report exposed operational methods: “Publishing the visit and the manner in which it took place revealed the service’s methods of operation, in a way that puts future operations at higher risk.” According to the Prime Minister’s Office, those endangered by the publication include Netanyahu and his wife Sara, the Mossad chief, the head of the National Security Council, military secretary Maj. Gen. Guy Markizano, the head of the Shin Bet’s security division, and the flight crew and security team of the delegation.
2+The Mossad also addressed the severity of the incident. In an opinion cited by the Prime Minister’s Office, the intelligence agency wrote that “this leak constituted a serious security threat to the security of the prime minister and the delegation.” The Mossad added: “We wish to raise a flag and mark this publication incident as a serious event that constitutes damage to the security of the State of Israel.”
The current complaint comes about two months after another confrontation involving Channel 12 and leaked security information. In July, an investigation was opened regarding the leak of information about Operation “Lion’s Roar” to the channel, following criticism over publication of information related to military activity. Now, unlike the debate that took place then over whether to even open an investigation, the Shin Bet itself has approached the military censor following the publication about Netanyahu’s UAE visit, and is demanding Channel 12 be prosecuted to the fullest extent.