Tikun Olam (blog)
Encyclopedia
Tikun Olam is a Seattle-based political blog
, which regularly reports on Israel
i security matters, and is known to have good sources in Israel's military community. The blog was created in 2003 by Richard Silverstein and covers the Arab–Israeli conflict
and Jewish-Muslim
relations.
censor's prohibition against naming Anat Kamm as a former IDF soldier held for leaking
secret military documents to Haaretz
reporter, Uri Blau
. It was also the first to break a gag order and identify "Captain George" (Doron Zahavi), a former interrogator in the Israeli Intelligence Corps, accused of sodomizing
Lebanese
prisoner Mustafa Dirani
. Furthermore, the blog published the full version of a report that was heavily censored within Israel, about the top secret
nuclear missile airbase in Sdot micha. Silverstein was the first to publish the name of the Israeli soldier featured in a YouTube
video abusing a bound, blind-folded Palestinian
woman detainee, Ihsan Dababseh, by dancing a suggestive Arab dance around her. The soldier, Avi Yakobov, subsequently refused to apologize to the detainee and said that while his behavior had been childish, he claimed that she had been arrested for attempting to stab another soldier. Though she was later convicted of belonging to Islamic Jihad and served a 22-month sentence, she was neither charged with nor convicted of the assault Yakobov claimed.
Tikun Olam was the first media outlet
to publish a secret IDF memo describing the rules by which the Gaza siege was maintained including lists of banned foods and other basic necessities. The military refused to release it citing danger to national security, until Gisha
, the Israeli NGO, forced it to do so under a Freedom of information legislation
request. Israeli media published the story two days later.
and Omar Said by the Shin Bet, who accused them of spying against Israel on behalf of Hezbollah. Neither detainee was permitted to consult an attorney for several weeks, and Makhoul contends that his alleged confession was extracted under torture. Said pled to a reduced charge and went free.
Makhoul later admitted to spying for Hezbollah, as part of a plea bargain
. The Palestinian activist's plea comes in the context of an Israeli judicial system which, according to Makhoul's attorney, has never acquitted a suspect in a security case. Hence Makhoul was forced to weight the consequences of a likely heavy sentence if he refused a plea or a lighter sentence (the prosecution is asking for ten years as part of the plea) if he accepted one.
The blog was the first to report that Yitzhak Ilan was the likely candidate to succeed current Shin Bet director, Yuval Diskin
. By law, Israeli publications are only allowed to publish the names of the Shabak and Mossad directors, but no subordinate personnel. Ilan in Israeli news reports has been referred to as "Y.". Shin Bet officials also considered Ilan the likely candidate, but eventually he lost the race to Yoram Cohen
.
, known in the Israeli media as "T." was a candidate to replace Meir Dagan
as Mossad
director. Subsequently, Pardo was named to the top job. The blog was first to report that Dagan managed to squelch a Knesset investigation of the targeted killing
of Hamas
operative Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
. The blog also revealed the identity of Immanuel Sonino, a Mossad agent who died in line of duty, and whose name is still a secret in Israel, almost two decades after his death.
of Haaretz
, wrote:
The American blogger Richard Silverstein has transformed himself into the international message board of information which military censorship and Israeli courts forbid publishing. In the past, he reported on the Anat Kamm case while Israeli authorities gagged the mouths of Israel’s media...Silverstein’s blog is important because he exposes the security services and the courts in all their nakedness. They use the instruments of the 20th century to protect secrets which aren’t really secrets in the age of 21st century technology.
In an article published by The Guardian
, Silverstein criticized the Bush administration for revoking the visa of noted European Muslim scholar, Tariq Ramadan
. The U.S. government would only say that it had taken this action because of unspecified security concerns. The blog author noted that many of these concerns might've been based on a published attack on Ramadan by Daniel Pipes
, who claimed the former was a supporter of Islamic terrorism. Pipes added that the Department of Homeland Security concluded Ramadan had donated money to a Swiss Palestinian-support group that is blacklisted by the United States government. But Ramadan's supporters noted that the groups to which Ramadan donated were not proscribed by the U.S. when he made gave those gifts, and that there was no way he could know in advance that they would be.
Silverstein later accused Pipes of smearing Rashid Khalidi
while under consideration for appointment to an endowed chair at Princeton University
and also fired from teaching at New York public school about the Middle East, because of "false charges made by Daniel Pipes of supporting Arab radicalism." In response, Daniel Pipes pointed out that Khalidi served as a spokesman for the Palestinian Liberation Organization in the 1970s when it was still a registered terrorist organization by the U.S State Department
.
In his blog, Silverstein claimed a representative from the pro-Israel watchdog organization CAMERA
described Naim Ateek
as "worse than Hamas
.". CAMERA officials accused Silverstein of fabricating the statements, and asked Silverstein to provide evidence of the conversation and the name of the representative.
Guy Lehrer of Israel's Channel 10 news stated that Silverstein calls himself the Israeli Julian Assange
and describes his blog the Wikileaks
of Israel. Lehrer then went on to explain the difference between Wikileaks and Silverstein in that Wikileaks brought to light new information that their team had gathered, whereas Silverstein reveals information that is already known to a large group of people but cannot be revealed in Israel due to publication bans.
Political blog
A political blog is a common type of blog that comments on politics. In liberal democracies the right to criticize the government without interference is considered an important element of free speech...
, which regularly reports on Israel
Israel
The State of Israel is a parliamentary republic located in the Middle East, along the eastern shore of the Mediterranean Sea...
i security matters, and is known to have good sources in Israel's military community. The blog was created in 2003 by Richard Silverstein and covers the Arab–Israeli conflict
Arab–Israeli conflict
The Arab–Israeli conflict refers to political tensions and open hostilities between the Arab peoples and the Jewish community of the Middle East. The modern Arab-Israeli conflict began with the rise of Zionism and Arab Nationalism towards the end of the nineteenth century, and intensified with the...
and Jewish-Muslim
Muslim
A Muslim, also spelled Moslem, is an adherent of Islam, a monotheistic, Abrahamic religion based on the Quran, which Muslims consider the verbatim word of God as revealed to prophet Muhammad. "Muslim" is the Arabic term for "submitter" .Muslims believe that God is one and incomparable...
relations.
Israel Defense Forces
The blog was the first to break the IDFIsrael 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...
censor's prohibition against naming Anat Kamm as a former IDF soldier held for leaking
News leak
A news leak is a disclosure of embargoed information in advance of its official release, or the unsanctioned release of confidential information.-Types of news leaks:...
secret military documents to 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...
reporter, Uri Blau
Uri Blau
Uri Blau is an Israeli journalist and currently an investigative reporter for the Haaretz newspaper, specializing in military affairs and exposing corruption.- Career :...
. It was also the first to break a gag order and identify "Captain George" (Doron Zahavi), a former interrogator in the Israeli Intelligence Corps, accused of sodomizing
Sodomy
Sodomy is an anal or other copulation-like act, especially between male persons or between a man and animal, and one who practices sodomy is a "sodomite"...
Lebanese
Lebanese people
The Lebanese people are a nation and ethnic group of Levantine people originating in what is today the country of Lebanon, including those who had inhabited Mount Lebanon prior to the creation of the modern Lebanese state....
prisoner Mustafa Dirani
Mustafa Dirani
Mustafa Dirani was a member and held position of "the head of security" of the Amal movement, a Shi'a militia in Lebanon associated with Syria. In 1987 he started contacts with pro-Iran sources, and eventually he created contacts between them and the rest of the leadership of Amal...
. Furthermore, the blog published the full version of a report that was heavily censored within Israel, about the 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...
nuclear missile airbase in Sdot micha. Silverstein was the first to publish the name of the Israeli soldier featured in a YouTube
YouTube
YouTube is a video-sharing website, created by three former PayPal employees in February 2005, on which users can upload, view and share videos....
video abusing a bound, blind-folded Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
woman detainee, Ihsan Dababseh, by dancing a suggestive Arab dance around her. The soldier, Avi Yakobov, subsequently refused to apologize to the detainee and said that while his behavior had been childish, he claimed that she had been arrested for attempting to stab another soldier. Though she was later convicted of belonging to Islamic Jihad and served a 22-month sentence, she was neither charged with nor convicted of the assault Yakobov claimed.
Tikun Olam was the first media outlet
News media
The news media are those elements of the mass media that focus on delivering news to the general public or a target public.These include print media , broadcast news , and more recently the Internet .-Etymology:A medium is a carrier of something...
to publish a secret IDF memo describing the rules by which the Gaza siege was maintained including lists of banned foods and other basic necessities. The military refused to release it citing danger to national security, until Gisha
Gisha
Gisha , originally KEYSHA is a neighbourhood in Tehran, Iran. The neighborhood is known as a center for youth recreation, shopping, and dating...
, the Israeli NGO, forced it to do so under a Freedom of information legislation
Freedom of information legislation
Freedom of information legislation comprises laws that guarantee access to data held by the state. They establish a "right-to-know" legal process by which requests may be made for government-held information, to be received freely or at minimal cost, barring standard exceptions...
request. Israeli media published the story two days later.
Shin Bet
Tikun olam broke the gag order against reporting the arrest of prominent Israeli Palestinian political activists Ameer MakhoulAmeer Makhoul
Ameer Makhoul is a Palestinian Christian Arab citizen of Israel and the director of the Haifa-based Ittijah, the Union of Arab Community-Based Associations, a network for Palestinian NGOs founded in 1995 in Israel...
and Omar Said by the Shin Bet, who accused them of spying against Israel on behalf of Hezbollah. Neither detainee was permitted to consult an attorney for several weeks, and Makhoul contends that his alleged confession was extracted under torture. Said pled to a reduced charge and went free.
Makhoul later admitted to spying for Hezbollah, as part of a plea bargain
Plea bargain
A plea bargain is an agreement in a criminal case whereby the prosecutor offers the defendant the opportunity to plead guilty, usually to a lesser charge or to the original criminal charge with a recommendation of a lighter than the maximum sentence.A plea bargain allows criminal defendants to...
. The Palestinian activist's plea comes in the context of an Israeli judicial system which, according to Makhoul's attorney, has never acquitted a suspect in a security case. Hence Makhoul was forced to weight the consequences of a likely heavy sentence if he refused a plea or a lighter sentence (the prosecution is asking for ten years as part of the plea) if he accepted one.
The blog was the first to report that Yitzhak Ilan was the likely candidate to succeed current Shin Bet director, Yuval Diskin
Yuval Diskin
Yuval Diskin was the 12th Director of Shabak .In the Israel Defense Forces, Diskin served as deputy company commander of Sayeret Shaked . In 1978, he was recruited to the Shabak and served as area coordinator for the Nablus district...
. By law, Israeli publications are only allowed to publish the names of the Shabak and Mossad directors, but no subordinate personnel. Ilan in Israeli news reports has been referred to as "Y.". Shin Bet officials also considered Ilan the likely candidate, but eventually he lost the race to Yoram Cohen
Yoram Cohen
Yoram Cohen is the Shin Bet chief .-Shin Bet Service:In 1982, after finishing his compulsory service in the IDF, he started working at the Shin Bet. His first post at Shin Bet was security officer for the field coordinators...
.
Mossad
Tikun Olam was the first media outlet to report by name that Tamir PardoTamir Pardo
Tamir Pardo , is the current Director of the Mossad, taking over the role from Meir Dagan on 1 January 2011. The appointment was announced by Israeli prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on November 29, 2010....
, known in the Israeli media as "T." was a candidate to replace Meir Dagan
Meir Dagan
Meir Dagan is a former Israel Defense Forces officer and former Director of the Mossad .-Biography:...
as Mossad
Mossad
The Mossad , short for HaMossad leModi'in uleTafkidim Meyuchadim , is the national intelligence agency of Israel....
director. Subsequently, Pardo was named to the top job. The blog was first to report that Dagan managed to squelch a Knesset investigation of 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 Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
operative Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
Mahmoud al-Mabhouh
Mahmoud Abdel Rauf al-Mabhouh was a senior Hamas military commander and one of the founders of the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades, the military affiliate of Hamas...
. The blog also revealed the identity of Immanuel Sonino, a Mossad agent who died in line of duty, and whose name is still a secret in Israel, almost two decades after his death.
Reception
Intelligence and military affairs correspondent Yossi MelmanYossi Melman
Yossi Melman is an Israeli writer and journalist.Yossi Melman graduated from Hebrew University of Jerusalem and was a Nieman Fellow at Harvard University...
of 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...
, wrote:
The American blogger Richard Silverstein has transformed himself into the international message board of information which military censorship and Israeli courts forbid publishing. In the past, he reported on the Anat Kamm case while Israeli authorities gagged the mouths of Israel’s media...Silverstein’s blog is important because he exposes the security services and the courts in all their nakedness. They use the instruments of the 20th century to protect secrets which aren’t really secrets in the age of 21st century technology.
In an article published by The Guardian
The Guardian
The Guardian, formerly known as The Manchester Guardian , is a British national daily newspaper in the Berliner format...
, Silverstein criticized the Bush administration for revoking the visa of noted European Muslim scholar, Tariq Ramadan
Tariq Ramadan
Tariq Ramadan is a Swiss academic, poet and writer. He is also a Professor of Contemporary Islamic Studies in the Faculty of Oriental Studies at Oxford University...
. The U.S. government would only say that it had taken this action because of unspecified security concerns. The blog author noted that many of these concerns might've been based on a published attack on Ramadan by Daniel Pipes
Daniel Pipes
Daniel Pipes is an American historian, writer, and political commentator. He is the founder and director of the Middle East Forum and its Campus Watch project, and editor of its Middle East Quarterly journal...
, who claimed the former was a supporter of Islamic terrorism. Pipes added that the Department of Homeland Security concluded Ramadan had donated money to a Swiss Palestinian-support group that is blacklisted by the United States government. But Ramadan's supporters noted that the groups to which Ramadan donated were not proscribed by the U.S. when he made gave those gifts, and that there was no way he could know in advance that they would be.
Silverstein later accused Pipes of smearing Rashid Khalidi
Rashid Khalidi
Rashid Ismail Khalidi , born 1948, a Palestinian-American historian of the Middle East, is the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University, and director of the Middle East Institute of Columbia's School of International and Public Affairs.-Family, education and...
while under consideration for appointment to an endowed chair at Princeton University
Princeton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
and also fired from teaching at New York public school about the Middle East, because of "false charges made by Daniel Pipes of supporting Arab radicalism." In response, Daniel Pipes pointed out that Khalidi served as a spokesman for the Palestinian Liberation Organization in the 1970s when it was still a registered terrorist organization by the U.S State Department
United States Department of State
The United States Department of State , is the United States federal executive department responsible for international relations of the United States, equivalent to the foreign ministries of other countries...
.
In his blog, Silverstein claimed a representative from the pro-Israel watchdog organization CAMERA
Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America
The Committee for Accuracy in Middle East Reporting in America is an American non-profit pro-Israel media watchdog group. The group says it was founded in 1982 "to respond to the Washington Post's coverage of Israel's Lebanon incursion", and to respond to what it considers the media's "general...
described Naim Ateek
Naim Ateek
The Rev. Dr. Naim Stifan Ateek is a Palestinian Christian who is the founder and head of the Sabeel Ecumenical Liberation Theology Center in Jerusalem. He went to school to the Nazareth Baptist school where he also taught after graduation...
as "worse than Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
.". CAMERA officials accused Silverstein of fabricating the statements, and asked Silverstein to provide evidence of the conversation and the name of the representative.
Guy Lehrer of Israel's Channel 10 news stated that Silverstein calls himself the Israeli Julian Assange
Julian Assange
Julian Paul Assange is an Australian publisher, journalist, writer, computer programmer and Internet activist. He is the editor in chief of WikiLeaks, a whistleblower website and conduit for worldwide news leaks with the stated purpose of creating open governments.WikiLeaks has published material...
and describes his blog the Wikileaks
Wikileaks
WikiLeaks is an international self-described not-for-profit organisation that publishes submissions of private, secret, and classified media from anonymous news sources, news leaks, and whistleblowers. Its website, launched in 2006 under The Sunshine Press organisation, claimed a database of more...
of Israel. Lehrer then went on to explain the difference between Wikileaks and Silverstein in that Wikileaks brought to light new information that their team had gathered, whereas Silverstein reveals information that is already known to a large group of people but cannot be revealed in Israel due to publication bans.
External links
- Tikun Olam
- Moshe Ronen, Richard Silverstein vs. censorship, YnetnewsYnetnewsYnetnews is the online English language Israeli news website of Yedioth Ahronoth, Israel’s most-read newspaper, and the Hebrew Israel news portal, Ynet...
, June 6, 2011. - Jonathan Martin, Influential Seattle blogger inflames left and right alike about Israeli security issues, The Seattle TimesThe Seattle TimesThe Seattle Times is a newspaper serving Seattle, Washington, US. It is the largest daily newspaper in the state of Washington. It has been, since the demise in 2009 of the printed version of the rival Seattle Post-Intelligencer, Seattle's only major daily print newspaper.-History:The Seattle Times...
, September 12, 2011. - Nathan Guttman, Blogger Carves Out Niche Baring Israeli Intel Secrets, The ForwardThe ForwardThe Forward , commonly known as The Jewish Daily Forward, is a Jewish-American newspaper published in New York City. The publication began in 1897 as a Yiddish-language daily issued by dissidents from the Socialist Labor Party of Daniel DeLeon...
, September 13, 2011.