Netanyahu Gags Shabak Director, Subverts Knesset Oversight Regarding Eilat Attack – Tikun Olam
►http://www.richardsilverstein.com/tikun_olam/2011/09/04/netanyahu-gags-shabak-director-subverts-knesset-oversight-regard
For those of you who harbor quaint notions about Israeli democracy, tonight’s post should further disabuse you of your illusions.
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I’ve reported in the recent past, that Defense Minister Ehud Barak refused to allow chief of staff Benny Gantz to testify to a Knesset committee about Israel’s covert programs to contain Iran. Now, none other than the prime minister himself has directed the Shabak chief to refuse to appear before the same committee to address questions about the Eilat terror attack. Yoram Cohen, Shabak director, sent an underling in his place who also refused to discuss the terror attack when asked point-blank by the committee, which is chaired by former chief of staff Shaul Mofaz.
Haaretz has only reported the latter fact, that a Shabak officer refused to answer questions about Eilat. In truth, my own well-placed source confirms that Netanyahu refused to allow Cohen to even appear before Mofaz’ committee. Perhaps one should even question the Israeli media itself as to why it hasn’t reported that Netanyahu actually refused to allow Israel’s most senior intelligence officer to testify before the Knesset.