News / Palestine

Israel investigates anti-occupation NGO over leaked army secrets

Friday, 18 March 2016 5:27 PM [ Last Update: Friday, 18 March 2016 6:42 PM ]

Israel’s Minister for Military Affairs Moshe Ya’alon

Israel’s Minister for Military Affairs Moshe Ya’alon has ordered an investigation into allegations that an Israeli non-governmental organization (NGO) publicizing abuses in the occupied Palestinian territories gathers confidential information and military secrets about Israeli military operations and abuses while collecting testimonies from discharged soldiers.

Ya'alon wrote on his Twitter account on Friday that he has directed the Israeli military to “conduct an investigative inquiry into soldiers' release of classified information from their service in the army” to Breaking the Silence.

He also asked the Israeli army to cease cooperation with the NGO, which is based in the western section of al-Quds (Jerusalem).

Israel’s Military Advocate General, the Information Security Department and the Military Police will summon the soldiers to an inquiry next Sunday.

Also on Thursday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu expressed his outrage with Breaking the Silence over alleged leak of classified information by former soldiers to the NGO.

“The investigative security bodies are investigating the matter,” he wrote on his official Facebook account.

The allegations made against Breaking the Silence came after Israel’s Hebrew-language Channel 2 television network aired a hidden camera footage recorded by the right-wing Ad Kan group, which purportedly showed the NGO's activists collecting testimony from former soldiers about military equipment and operational methods.

President of Breaking the Silence Yuli Novak

Yuli Novak, president of Breaking the Silence, has denied any improper behavior in return.

“I can tell you unequivocally that Breaking the Silence does not collect classified material. There is an attempt to frighten and silence anyone who criticizes” the Tel Aviv regime, she pointed out.

Breaking the Silence is an NGO established by Israeli military veterans. It tries to collect the testimonies of soldiers who have served in the occupied West Bank, besieged Gaza Strip and East al-Quds, and detail "cases of abuse towards Palestinians."

Last month, five Israeli non-governmental organization including Breaking the Silence, jointly condemned attempts to portray their leaders as foreign agents besides harassment and even death threats.

They highlighted that they were speaking on behalf of 50 pro-peace or human rights organizations.

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