Senior Israeli security leader accuses Knesset member of outing and slandering member of security services

Tel Aviv [Israel], January 25 (ANI/TPS): The head of the Shin Bet (Israel’s anti-terror General Security Service), Ronen Bar, sent a letter Wednesday evening to the Speaker of the Knesset, Chairman of Israel’s Security Council, the Attorney General and other officials condemning the conduct of Member of the Knesset Tally Gotliv (Likud) over comments she made earlier in the day, which he said were defamatory.

Bar said Gotliv posted on X “false details about events that supposedly took place before the outbreak of the war [in Gaza], including a delusional claim about acts committed by an employee of the General Security Service.”

The Tweet, he explained in the letter, included the name of the website where the claims were published. The website also identified the individual in questions and provided details about his family members.

Bar pointed out that Section 19 of Israel’s General Security Service Law states, among other things, that the identity of service employees, past or present, is confidential and its publication is prohibited.

“Knesset member Gotliv’s actions are a clear criminal act and on the face of it they also constitute a civil wrong, ” he said. “However, my appeal focuses on the harm to state security that was carried out knowingly and deliberately and the placing of a service worker and his family members at risk to their lives and well-being.”

Bar went on to charge that Gotliv’s actions led to a “diversion of attention and resources of the security forces in favour of defence and security efforts.”

Gotliv responded by posting on X, at the bar, “You have to understand you don’t scare me. Only the good of the people of Israel and the security of the country are before my eyes.”

She also released a copy of her own letter she sent to the Speaker of the Knesset in response.