URI BLAU, an Israeli journalist in possession of 2,000 military documents, including 700 classified as top secret, has said he has decided to stay in Britain for now and fears returning home.
Writing yesterday in the Ha'aretznewspaper for which he works – the day after a Tel Aviv court lifted a gagging order in the case – Blau said he was being targeted by Israeli authorities for doing his job as an investigative journalist.
“When I left Israel I certainly didn’t think I’d have to stay in London and wouldn’t be able to return to Tel Aviv as a journalist and a free man, only because I published reports that were inconvenient to the establishment.”
Blau said he decided to stay abroad after hearing his Tel Aviv apartment had been broken into and after being told his phone and e-mails were being monitored.
Israeli authorities said the reporter got the classified documents from Anat Kam, who served at the army’s central command headquarters during her military stint, and who has been under house arrest since December.
A deal between Blau and Israeli intelligence, whereby he would hand over the documents for immunity and a guarantee that his sources would be protected, broke down last week. Each side accused the other of breaking terms of the agreement. Blau is now wanted for questioning by the Israeli police and security services. Yuval Diskin, head of the Shin Bet security agency, warned “the kid gloves will now be taken off” as the intelligence community steps up efforts to retrieve the documents.
Blau said his fight was for Israel’s image, as well as his own personal freedom. “These forces won’t hesitate to take steps reserved for states I don’t think we want to resemble.”
Israeli justice ministry officials said all legal steps would be taken to bring Blau home.
The documents included details of the killing of Palestinian fugitives in questionable circumstances, Israeli troop deployments and contingency plans for emergencies.