Israel's Media Watch calls
for State Comptroller review of
GSS-Raviv-Eyal improprieties

(IsraelWire-1999/11/25 at: http://www.israelwire.com)

On Tuesday a session of the Comptroller's Committee of the Knesset devoted to: "The discretion, the principles and work norms of the GSS and the state prosecutor in running agents" was held. Among those present at the committee session were State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg, committee chairman MK Uzi Landau, MK Michael Eitan, MK Ophir Pines, MK Benny Elon and MK Eliezer Zandberg.

General Security Service (GSS/ Shin Bet) head Ami Ayalon and State Attorney Edna Arbel were summoned to the meeting, but did not attend. Also in attendance were Yisrael Medad Director of Israel's Media Watch (IMW), Yoav Yitzchak, the Ma'ariv journalist who petitioned the court to declassify the document, which revealed an apparent collusion between the Justice Ministry officials and the GSS and Yair Parag, of the Professors for a Strong Israel.
IMW's Medad claimed that the GSS-Justice Ministry collusion seems to be continuing. He noted that just last week, three participants in the now infamous staged swearing-in ceremony were indicted for expressing support for a terrorist organization.

Jerusalem Post, Tuesday, November 23, 1999

State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg may conduct a probe into the government's operation of General Security Service agent Avishai Raviv,
after coming under pressure yesterday from the members of the Knesset State Control Committee.
However, Goldberg said he could not understand the haste of the MKs in wanting to deal with the subject before the verdict in the Raviv trial. Raviv is on trial in Jerusalem Magistrate's Court for failing to prevent the murder of Yitzhak Rabin.
The comptroller was appearing before the committee on a discussion on the norms of operating GSS agents, in light of the Raviv affair. MK Michael Eitan (Likud) said he didn't see the connection to the trial and
demanded that the role of the State Attorney's Office and its involvement with the GSS be investigated. Eitan said there is the impression that the State Attorney's Office and the GSS have a relationship involving cover-ups and false reports. He said the High Court of Justice had proved that the security claim for failing to reveal information is obsolete.
GSS head Ami Ayalon and State Attorney Edna Arbel were summoned
to the meeting, but did not attend. Ayalon said he couldn't come because Barak was abroad, and Arbel said she wasn't notified in time to schedule her appearance. The committee intends to continue its discussion on the matter and again invite the two.
However, in a letter to the committee Arbel said the topic of the discussion - the norms and considerations in operating agents - is not in the realm of the State Attorney's Office, but of the GSS. She said her office only gets involved in legal issues, and usually after the fact. At any rate, she said, "the State Attorney's Office does not deal with granting permission for operating agents or in their operative activities." However, committee chairman Uzi Landau (Likud) said Arbel's statement was "unacceptable" since the office is involved in the Raviv affair. Moreover, he said, an investigation by Goldberg is warranted, especially since there had been much harm caused to a large public because of Raviv's activities, in addition to the fact that settlers and Arabs had been harmed.
MK Ophir Pines-Paz (One Israel) said the state comptroller, as an independent entity, should give an opinion on the protocol written in the Justice Ministry. He said claims that the protocol was inaccurate seem strange, noting that he had worked with and trusted its author, Noam Solberg. He also questioned whether the State Attorney's Office should have been involved in the 1996 meeting with the GSS after the Shamgar
Commission's report was already issued and included recommendations
about the operation of provocateurs.
Former MK Hanan Porat said Raviv defamed the settlers more than anyone else except for Yigal Amir. "There is the feeling that there is no supervision over the GSS and state attorney's office," he said. Porat also told the committee that a yeshiva student told him that he heard Raviv called out "that's Yigal Amir" at the murder scene in Tel Aviv. However, he said, the student was threatened by the GSS not to report on the incident.
"There is enough gray area and attempts to cover up, that you don't know how far it goes," Porat said. MK Benny Elon (National Union) said the Shamgar Report's recommendations on provocative activities were not implemented. "Even today there are provocations," he said. MK Eliezer Zandberg (Shinui) said the public is liable to reach its own conclusions and therefore it is important that the entire matter be investigated.

IMW addition: Present also at the committee session were Yisrael Medad, Director of Israel's Media Watch, Yoav Yitzchak, the Maariv journalist who petitioned the court to declassify the document which revealed an apparent collusion between the Justice Ministry officials and the GSS and Yair Parag,of the Professors for a Strong Israel.

Medad claimed that the GSS-Justice Ministry collusion seems to be continuing. He noted that just last week, three participants in the now infamous staged swearing-in ceremony were indicted for expressing support for a terrorist organization.

Medad stressed that logically, one could come to the conclusion that the
indictment indicates that if Eyal was a terror group, then no other than Carmi Gillon, who as GSS chief paid and supervised Raviv who in turn headed Eyal, was, in fact, responsible for maintaining a terror group. "Could this be possible?", asked Medad.

In another instance, Medad informed the assembled, Arafat appeared before Jewish leaders in New York on October 23, 1995 and sought to excuse the Hamas terror by pointing out that there was a Jewish terror group, Eyal. Arafat claimed to have spoken to former PM Rabin about Eyal at the Cairo conference earlier that month.

"Did Rabin query Gillon as to what was Eyal all about?", queried Medad. "According to Ami Ayalon's testimony presented last year, Rabin already knew shortly after the swearing-in ceremony that Eyal was being run by the GSS through Raviv and this was at the end of September. Could it be that Gillon's Eyal-Raviv operation was now being exploited by Arafat to justify Arab terror and his lack of action to eradicate it?".

Medad described the apparent collusion as a stain on Israel's democratic fiber and urged the State Comptroller to undertake the task of reviewing the complaints of improprieties.

MK Chanan Porat Reveals
Raviv "Bombshell"
in Commitee Meeting

Arutz Sheva News Service http://www.arutzsheva.org
Monday, November 22, 1999 / Kislev 13, 5760

Former National Union MK Chanan Porat startled those in attendance at today's Knesset State Audit Committee meeting when he revealed new information on the relationship between the General Security Service, Avishai Raviv, and Yigal Amir. According to Porat, one of the three teenagers indicted by Att.-Gen. Elyakim Rubenstein last week (for participating in the fake swearing-in ceremony of the GSS-created Eyal organization) informed Porat that he was standing next to Avishai Raviv at the scene of the Rabin assassination on Nov. 4, 1995. According to the teenager, as soon as the shots rang out, Raviv yelled, "It's Yigal Amir!" At a later date, GSS agents approached tyouawarned him "not to dare open his mouth against Raviv in court."

Arutz-7 correspondent Haggai Seri reports that Porat, during his term as
Chairman of the Knesset Law Committee, conveyed the above information in a confidential letter to Att.-Gen. Elyakim Rubenstein. According to Porat, the failure of the judicial establishment to deal with the matter forced him to go public with the story.

Yisrael Medad of Israel's Media Watch (IMW) participated in today's session of the State Audit Committee, and described the reaction of those present to Porat's revelation: "When the committee members heard Porat's account, they were shocked. State Comptroller Eliezer Goldberg was also in a state of total disbelief! It was obvious to me that Goldberg must still overcome a major psychological barrier before he realizes that we have a problem here in Israel. I had to remind him that in the United States, we had a President who dispatched criminals in the middle of the night in an extended Watergate operation, and that the U.S. went through the Iran-Contra Affair during the 1980's. Those scandals made it clear that even in the world's greatest democracy, governments and secret service agencies could operate rogue operations in the absence of proper public supervision." IMW has been at the forefront of demanding the indictment of Israel Broadcast Authority cameraman Eitan Oren for his role in planning the Eyal swearing-in ceremony.

Correspondent Haggai Seri reports that Goldberg said at the end of today's gathering that though he "heard some very grave information" there, he has not yet decided whether or not to conduct an independent investigation of the Raviv affair. Goldberg also expressed his concern over the absence of State Prosecutor Edna Arbel and GSS Chief Ami Ayalon. Both were specifically invited to come, since the meeting's agenda dealt with the operational norms guiding the State Attorney's Office and the GSS. Arbel sent a message apologizing for her absence, explaining that the "invitation arrived just at the end of last week," and that she had "previous commitments." Ayalon similarly sent chairman MK Uzi Landau a message explaining that, as head of the GSS, he [Ayalon] requires the approval of Prime Minister Barak to attend such a meeting, and that Barak could not issue his approval, since he is in the U.S at present. MK Michael Eitan, who has played a major role in exposing the Raviv affair, responded by asking Landau: "Has he [Ayalon] ever heard of a telephone?"

ãáøéå ùì îðë"ì "ìãòú",
îø éùøàì îéãã,
áôðé çáøé äååòãä ìáé÷åøú äîãéðä
é' ëñìå úù"ñ - 22 áðåáîáø 1999

 ùîé éùøàì îéãã åàðé îùîù æå äùðä äçîéùéú ëîðë"ì "äàâåãä ìæëåú äöáåø ìãòú". îèøåú òîåúä öáåøéú æå ëåììåú äîò÷á åäîç÷ø ùì, àîöòé äú÷ùåøú, åáîéåçã äîùåãøéí; ôòéìåú áúçåîéí øáéí ëâåï äâùú úìåðåú, òúéøåú ìáâ"ö, ôøñåí îàîøéí åîåãòåú, äåôòåú áôðé ååòãåú äëðñú åôòåìåú ðåñôåú. åëì æàú ëãé ìäáèéç îéìåé îìà ùì äåøàåú äçå÷ åëììé äàúé÷ä äî÷öåòéú áãáø äçåáä ìâååï, ìàæï åìäáéà áôðé äöåôéí åäîàæéðéí åä÷åøàéí àú äîéãò äàîéï áéåúø, ììà äèééä, äèòéä, ñéìåó àå, ìòðééððå äéåí, áéåí. æåäé ôòéìåú ùì îä ùîëåðä 'úøáåú àæøçéú', äúåøîú ìáéöåø äãîå÷øèéä äéùøàìéú åàðå øåàéí àú òöîðå, òì àìôé úåîëéðå åçáøéðå, ëàøâåï äâðä ùì öøëðé äú÷ùåøú.

îëéåï ùðåùà äãéåï äéåí äåà ðåøîåú òáåãä, àðé ùåàì àú äðåëçéí: àí äùìùä îåàùîéí ùäùîéòå ãáøé úîéëä åòéãåã áàøâåï èøåø, ãäééðå, àé"ì, áèëñ ùøàù äàøâåï øáéá áééí òáåø öååú äèìååéæéä, åäåà äéä ñåëï äùá"ë, îãåò äôø÷ìéèåú àéððä îâéùä ëúá àéùåí ðâã äîôòéì ùì øáéá, çæé ëàìå? ìå àéï àçøéåú? åàéúï àåøï, äîåôéò áúåø òã úáéòä, ìå åìøùåú äùéãåø àéï ùåúôåú ôìéìéú áôøñåí àåúí ãáøé òéãåã ìèøåø? äàí àðå çééí áîéï òåìí-ôìàåú ò÷åí, îòååú åàåìé îåùçú?

2) éåöà îëì æä ùòì ôé äâùú ëúáé äàéùåí äùáåò, øàù äùá"ë âéìåï äôòéì, ãøê øàù àçã äàâôéí ùìå, áäñëîú äôø÷ìéèåú, àøâåï èøåø åäàçøéåú ðòöøú áøáéá åùìùä áðé ðåòø ùäåáàå ò"é øáéá ëãé ìäöéâ äöâä. äàí àéï äãáø äæä àéðå ãåøù úé÷åï?

3) äúàéí îàåã ìúîåðä ùì àéù éîéï ùäí áòöîí îàîðéí áä: àãí àìéí, ñäøåøé, ÷éöåðé åëê äí áé÷ùå ìäöéâ àú äîúðâãéí ìîäìê îãéðé? äàí àðùé ú÷ùåøú ðéöìå àú ëìé äú÷ùåøú áéãéäí, åìøåá æàú äéúä äú÷ùåøú ùì äùéãåø äöáåøé, ëãé ìðôç åìâåìì àùîä òì îçðä ùìí ëé ëê äí øöå?

à. áãåîä ìîä ù÷øä áàøä"á ìàçø ôøùú ååèøâééè åàéøï-÷åðèøä, éù ìä÷éí îðâåï ùì áé÷åøú îèòí äëðñú àùø úäéä ìå äñîëåú ìô÷ç òì äôòìú ñåëðéí àùø òáåãúí ðåâòú ìâåôéí ìâéèîééí. áàøä,á äîðâðåï äæä ð÷øà Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Oversight. àðé îôðä àúëí ìôø÷ â' áðñôç äñåãé ùì ãå"ç ååòãú ùîâø, ñòéó 3, ùùí ëúåá ùäåöò ìàãí îçåõ ìîòøëú ìùîù ë"òéï ô÷åçä ìùéøåúéí" àáì äãáø ìà éöà ìôåòì. ìöòøé, ÷åáò äãå"ç, ùí áòî' 25, "äååòãä ìà áçðä àú ðåùà äôé÷åç áàåôï î÷éó...àåìí äððå ñáåøéí ùäðåùà çùåá". òðééï æä òëùéå îúâìâì ìôúç ååòãä æå.

"Presentation by IMW Director, Yisrael Medad, Before the Knesset Control Committee, November 22, 1999" English Summary:

The actions of the GSS and the State Prosecutor's Office in relation to the agent Avishai Raviv point to a serious collapse of judicial, ethical and legal standards. The ramifications of the running of Raviv and the lack of proper supervision are still with us today.
For example, if only a few days ago indictments against three of the participants in the now infamous Eyal "swearing-in ceremony" were presented on charges of expressing support and encouragement for a terror organization, then logically one can conclude that since Raviv headed organization, and Chezi Kallo of the GSS was responsible for him, then could it be that Carmi Gillon who headed the GSS was the head also of a terror group?
At the junction where the GSS, the State Prosecution Office and the Media met, simple logic and elementary sense combined with dark urges and evil thoughts. Raviv was permitted by those who supervised him to exploit the media antagonism against the political nationalist and religious right-wing. The media took a fringe figure and out of an identity with and a belief in the image he provided of a fanatic, violent and dangerous right-wing, placed him in the homes of hundreds of thousands through the television screen. And worse, the media which always manages to smell out a good story, failed to investigate Raviv - where he received his funds, how he managed to stay out of jail - and this was also because he granted them what they wanted - a good story about the Right.
We ask the State Comptroller to investigate this matter abnd review both the GSS and State Prosecution records and we suggest too that a Knesset Oversight Committee be set-up to assure that no rogue operations occur in the future.

âéìåééí çãùéí áôøùú øöç øáéï:
îéùäå éãò îøàù ùæä éâàì òîéø

çãùåú òøåõ 7 www.a7.org
áñ"ã éåí ùðé, é"â áëñìå úù"ñ / 22 áðåáîáø 99'

" 'æä éâàì òîéø!', ëê öò÷ àáéùé øáéá îéã ëùðùîòå äéøéåú", äòéã àçã îîùúúôé è÷ñ ääùáòä ìàøâåï àé"ì, ùòîã áìéì øöç øáéï áëéëø ìéã àáéùé øáéá. ìàçø îëï äâéòå àìéå ðöéâé ùá"ë åäæäéøå àåúå ìáì éòæ ìôúåç àú ôéå áîùôè ðâã øáéá. àú äãáøéí âéìä äéåí çáø äëðñú ìùòáø, çðï ôåøú, áéùéáä ùì åòãú äçå÷ä ùì äëðñú ùãðä äéåí áðåøîåú äòáåãä ùì äùá"ë åäôø÷ìéèåú áäôòìú ñåëðéí. ìãáøéå, áòú äéåúå éå"ø åòãú çå÷ä, äåà ëúá òì ëê ìéåòõ äîùôèé àìéé÷éí øåáéðùèééï, àê äòðééï ìà æëä ìèéôåì ëìì, åìëï äçìéè ìçùåó àåúå òëùéå áååòãä ìáé÷åøú äîãéðä.

ôø÷ìéèú äîãéðä òãðä àøáì, ùæåîðä ìéùéáä, ìà äåôéòä, áèòðä ùääæîðä äâéòä àìéä ø÷ áñåó äùáåò ùòáø. îåæîï àçø ìéùéáä, øàù äùá"ë òîé àééìåï, àó äåà ìà äâéò, åäñáéø ëé äåà æ÷å÷ ìàéùåø øàù äîîùìä ëãé ìäùúúó áéùéáä, åæä ùåää òëùéå áçå"ì. îá÷ø äîãéðä àìéòæø âåìãáøâ, ùäùúúó áéùéáä, îúç áé÷åøú òì äéòãøåúí ùì äùðééí. ìéùéáú äååòãä æåîðå âí ðöéâé àøâåï 'ìãòú', äôåòìéí ìçùéôú äàîú áôøùú è÷ñ ääùáòä ùì àøâåï àé"ì. äååòãä úúëðñ áùáåò äáà ìéùéáä ðåñôú áòðééï, áäùúúôåú ôø÷ìéèú äîãéðä åðöéâ äùá"ë. àú äãéååç îñø ëúáðå áëðñú çâé ñøé.
äàæï ìëúáä îéåîððå 'ìôé ùòä'

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