Uri Blau
Encyclopedia
Uri Blau is an Israel
i journalist
and currently an investigative reporter for the Haaretz
newspaper, specializing in military affairs and exposing corruption.
, a Jerusalem weekly newspaper. He specialized in exposing cases of misconduct by IDF
soldiers. Unlike other military correspondents, he did not join the Military Reporters Section and tended to rely on low ranking enlisted personal, rather than high ranking officers.
In 2005 Blau joined the daily Haaretz
and published a few articles claiming to expose corruption by Ehud Olmert
, then leader of Kadima
Party, candidate for Prime Minister
and later Prime Minister
. This exposé has led to a criminal investigation and to Olmert's indictment. Another investigation was regarding Avigdor Liberman, head of Israel Beitenu party, which claimed that he used a company nominally owned by his daughter, who was in her early twenties, to obtain large payments.
In November 2008, Blau published a story in Haaretz saying that the targeted killing
of one of two Islamic Jihad
militants killed in Jenin
in June 2007 had violated a prior ruling of the Supreme Court of Israel
. The ruling had "heavily restricted the circumstances in which they were permissible, effectively saying that killing should not take place if arrest was possible." The report reproduced two IDF memos classified as top secret
, indicating that the IDF had ignored the Supreme Court ruling. Publications dealing with military affairs have to be submitted to the Israeli Military Censor
; the censor approved the publication of this report. This fact would later be used as argument that no damage was done by the publication.
Speculation began immediately about who Blau's inside source was. It took a year before attention focused on Anat Kamm, a former clerk in the office of a senior IDF commander. She had worked as a journalist before and after her military service.
A week before Operation Cast Lead began (December 2008), Blau submitted to the censor an expose revealing he had possession of IDF military plans for the Operation. At first, the report was approved for publication. Then, just before it was distributed the censor changed its mind and Haaretz agreed to withdraw the story.
In the year, leading up to Kamm's arrest, Blau also published another article regarding Defense Minister Ehud Barak
and Chief of Staff Gaby Ashkenazi. The reporter claimed that Barak, on becoming minister, had transferred his private consulting company to his three daughters, violating the regulation allowing such a transfer only if the daughters were actually employed by the company. Furthermore, the company which he gave to his daughters took in nearly $2-million from unknown sources after he entered the government. Blau also claimed that after leaving the army and joining the private sector, Ashkenazi approached Barak about entering into business with him.
In September 2009, the Shin Bet negotiated a written agreement with Blau to hand over 50 classified documents and destroy his work computer. In return the IDF agreed not to pursue or prosecute his source. In December 2009, the Shin Bet secretly arrested Anat Kamm and began interrogating her. Eventually, she was accused of leaking as many as 2,000 documents to the reporter. Blau and Haaretz viewed the soldier's arrest as a violation of their agreement.
Blau, who had left Israel on an Asian backpacking trip that same month of Kamm's arrest, decided to remain abroad pending resolution of the case and eventually ended up in London. The Shin Bet has made no bones about the fact that they want to question and perhaps prosecute him. He claimed journalistic privilege and refused to return until he has guarantees about the outcome of his case.
On October 24, 2010 Uri Blau returned to Israel.
Israelies have exhibited mixed feelings about Blau. Some view him as little better than a traitor out to harm the national security. Others support his work. A group of 12 senior Israeli journalists petitioned the government not to prosecute Blau if he returns from London and gives back any outstanding documents he may still possess.
In March 23 2011 Ministry of Justice
informed about its intention to put Blau on trial, subject to the hearing
, in charge of maintaining classified items without being authorized for it.
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i journalist
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
and currently an investigative reporter for the Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
newspaper, specializing in military affairs and exposing corruption.
Career
Blau began his journalistic career in Kol Ha'irKol Ha'ir
Kol Ha'ir is a weekly local newspaper published in Jerusalem, Israel. It is part of the Schocken Group publishing network....
, a Jerusalem weekly newspaper. He specialized in exposing cases of misconduct by IDF
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
soldiers. Unlike other military correspondents, he did not join the Military Reporters Section and tended to rely on low ranking enlisted personal, rather than high ranking officers.
In 2005 Blau joined the daily Haaretz
Haaretz
Haaretz is Israel's oldest daily newspaper. It was founded in 1918 and is now published in both Hebrew and English in Berliner format. The English edition is published and sold together with the International Herald Tribune. Both Hebrew and English editions can be read on the Internet...
and published a few articles claiming to expose corruption by Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert
Ehud Olmert is an Israeli politician and lawyer. He served as Prime Minister of Israel from 2006 to 2009, as a Cabinet Minister from 1988 to 1992 and from 2003 to 2006, and as Mayor of Jerusalem from 1993 to 2003....
, then leader of Kadima
Kadima
Kadima is a centrist and liberal political party in Israel. It was established on 24 November 2005 by moderates from Likud largely to support the issue of Ariel Sharon's unilateral disengagement plan, and was soon joined by like-minded Labor politicians...
Party, candidate for Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
and later Prime Minister
Prime minister
A prime minister is the most senior minister of cabinet in the executive branch of government in a parliamentary system. In many systems, the prime minister selects and may dismiss other members of the cabinet, and allocates posts to members within the government. In most systems, the prime...
. This exposé has led to a criminal investigation and to Olmert's indictment. Another investigation was regarding Avigdor Liberman, head of Israel Beitenu party, which claimed that he used a company nominally owned by his daughter, who was in her early twenties, to obtain large payments.
In November 2008, Blau published a story in Haaretz saying that the targeted killing
Targeted killing
Targeted killing is the deliberate, specific targeting and killing, by a government or its agents, of a supposed terrorist or of a supposed "unlawful combatant" who is not in that government's custody...
of one of two Islamic Jihad
Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine
The Islamic Jihad Movement in Palestine known in the West as simply Palestinian Islamic Jihad , is a small Palestinian militant organization. The group has been labelled as a terrorist group by the United States, the European Union, the United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, Australia and Israel...
militants killed in Jenin
Jenin
Jenin is the largest town in the Northern West Bank, and the third largest city overall. It serves as the administrative center of the Jenin Governorate and is a major agricultural center for the surrounding towns. In 2007, the city had a population of 120,004 not including the adjacent refugee...
in June 2007 had violated a prior ruling of the Supreme Court of Israel
Supreme Court of Israel
The Supreme Court is at the head of the court system and highest judicial instance in Israel. The Supreme Court sits in Jerusalem.The area of its jurisdiction is all of Israel and the Israeli-occupied territories. A ruling of the Supreme Court is binding upon every court, other than the Supreme...
. The ruling had "heavily restricted the circumstances in which they were permissible, effectively saying that killing should not take place if arrest was possible." The report reproduced two IDF memos classified as top secret
Top Secret
Top Secret generally refers to the highest acknowledged level of classified information.Top Secret may also refer to:- Film and television :* Top Secret , a British comedy directed by Mario Zampi...
, indicating that the IDF had ignored the Supreme Court ruling. Publications dealing with military affairs have to be submitted to the Israeli Military Censor
Israeli Military Censor
The Israeli Military Censor is a unit in the IDF Directorate of Military Intelligence which watches over the publication of information regarding the military network, and generally, the security of Israel. The Military Censor, as part of its duty, has authority to suppress information it deems...
; the censor approved the publication of this report. This fact would later be used as argument that no damage was done by the publication.
Speculation began immediately about who Blau's inside source was. It took a year before attention focused on Anat Kamm, a former clerk in the office of a senior IDF commander. She had worked as a journalist before and after her military service.
A week before Operation Cast Lead began (December 2008), Blau submitted to the censor an expose revealing he had possession of IDF military plans for the Operation. At first, the report was approved for publication. Then, just before it was distributed the censor changed its mind and Haaretz agreed to withdraw the story.
In the year, leading up to Kamm's arrest, Blau also published another article regarding Defense Minister Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak
Ehud Barak is an Israeli politician who served as Prime Minister from 1999 until 2001. He was leader of the Labor Party until January 2011 and holds the posts of Minister of Defense and Deputy Prime Minister in Binyamin Netanyahu's government....
and Chief of Staff Gaby Ashkenazi. The reporter claimed that Barak, on becoming minister, had transferred his private consulting company to his three daughters, violating the regulation allowing such a transfer only if the daughters were actually employed by the company. Furthermore, the company which he gave to his daughters took in nearly $2-million from unknown sources after he entered the government. Blau also claimed that after leaving the army and joining the private sector, Ashkenazi approached Barak about entering into business with him.
In September 2009, the Shin Bet negotiated a written agreement with Blau to hand over 50 classified documents and destroy his work computer. In return the IDF agreed not to pursue or prosecute his source. In December 2009, the Shin Bet secretly arrested Anat Kamm and began interrogating her. Eventually, she was accused of leaking as many as 2,000 documents to the reporter. Blau and Haaretz viewed the soldier's arrest as a violation of their agreement.
Blau, who had left Israel on an Asian backpacking trip that same month of Kamm's arrest, decided to remain abroad pending resolution of the case and eventually ended up in London. The Shin Bet has made no bones about the fact that they want to question and perhaps prosecute him. He claimed journalistic privilege and refused to return until he has guarantees about the outcome of his case.
On October 24, 2010 Uri Blau returned to Israel.
Israelies have exhibited mixed feelings about Blau. Some view him as little better than a traitor out to harm the national security. Others support his work. A group of 12 senior Israeli journalists petitioned the government not to prosecute Blau if he returns from London and gives back any outstanding documents he may still possess.
In March 23 2011 Ministry of Justice
Justice Minister of Israel
The Justice Minister of Israel is the political head of the Israeli Ministry of Justice and a position in the Israeli cabinet. The current minister is Ya'akov Ne'eman, an independent who is not a member of the Knesset....
informed about its intention to put Blau on trial, subject to the hearing
Preliminary hearing
Within some criminal justice systems, a preliminary hearing is a proceeding, after a criminal complaint has been filed by the prosecutor, to determine whether there is enough evidence to require a trial...
, in charge of maintaining classified items without being authorized for it.