PM may move Iran discussions to compact forum to stifle leaks

PM may move Iran discussions to compact forum to stifle leaks

After details of Political-Security Cabinet talks leak to media, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu mulls convening limited body to discuss sensitive security matters • Ministers who were at Tuesday’s meeting may have to undergo lie detector tests.

Shlomo Cesana and Israel Hayom Staff
Sources say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking legal advice on compelling officials to undergo lie detector tests to locate source of leak.

 
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Photo credit: Flash 90

 

 
 
 
 
 
Sources say Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is seeking legal advice on compelling officials to undergo lie detector tests to locate source of leak.

 
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Photo credit: Flash 90

 

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is mulling moving any future discussions about Iran to a much smaller forum of confidants rather than the sizable Political-Security Cabinet, according to well-placed sources. The move follows Netanyahu’s decision Wednesday to adjourn the annual Political-Security Cabinet meeting on intelligence matters due to leaks to the media from the previous day’s session of the meeting.

 

Political sources, some of them close to the prime minister, said that Netanyahu was considering making all those who participated in Tuesday’s meeting at Mossad headquarters, including all the ministers, undergo a lie detector test in an attempt to find the source of the leak. One source said that the prime minister was seeking legal counsel on the matter.

 

A total of 18 ministers — 14 members of the Political-Security Cabinet and an additional four who have observer status — took part in Tuesday’s 10-hour discussion, along with the heads of the Mossad, Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet), Military Intelligence, the cabinet secretary, Netanyahu’s military secretary and others. The issue of Iran was a major focus of the discussions. No ministerial aides were allowed in and the location, Mossad headquarters in the center of the country, was purposely chosen due to its classified location and limited access.

 

Discussions were set to continue on Wednesday, but when the ministers convened at the Prime Minister’s Office in Jerusalem, Netanyahu immediately adjourned the meeting because of the leaks. The prime minister said whoever behind the leak „violated the most basic rules regarding the conduct of Political-Security Cabinet discussions. He also hurt the good name of those present at the meeting who did not leak its contents.”

 

The Prime Minister’s Office refused to comment on Wednesday on whether there was any particular news story that prompted Netanyahu’s decision, including whether the story had actually been published or whether it might have been struck down by the military censor. The office also would not say whether the prime minister would be ordering a Shin Bet investigation into the incident, or would indeed insist on lie detector tests for the participants. There was also no immediate indication of when the Political-Security Cabinet might convene again.

 

One government source said the story that most irked Netanyahu had been blocked from publication by the military censor. Another source, however, said that it was not a particularly serious issue that was leaked, but rather that the prime minister „clearly wanted to carry out a lesson in leadership, and may even be looking for a way to move the discussions on Iran out of the Security Cabinet.”

 

Foreign Minister Avigdor Lieberman on Wednesday advised Netanyahu to disband the Political-Security Cabinet and in its place set up a much smaller forum for sensitive discussions, with no more than eight members. His office clarified that this had been Lieberman’s position for some time, as part of his recommendations for government reform.

 

Energy and Water Minister Uzi Landau (Yisrael Beytenu) backed lie detector tests for the senior officials. „The prime minister took the correct decision. These leaks, which happen time and time again, damage Israel’s security,” he said.

 

Improvement of Government Services Minister Michael Eitan (Likud) also called for a more limited forum to deal with the Iranian threat, saying, „The government should give this body the power to make decisions independently. The failure of the Security Cabinet to keep secrets illustrates that a government of 29 ministers also won’t manage to hold consultations without leaking.”