Mossad chief rebukes plans to go public about security concerns

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
13 Aug 2023 22:21
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The head of the IOF and Shin Bet also denied the reports, noting that they are currently in talks with the regime's political leadership.

Israel’s Mossad chief David Barnea (C) attends an honor guard ceremony in "Tel Aviv," "Israel," January 16, 2023. (AFP)

The head of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, David Barnea, rejected on Sunday claims that he wanted to speak publicly of his national security concerns after several reports revealed that the state of the military was in shambles.

This comes after Israeli broadcaster Channel 12 reported that the occupation's intelligence community and the IOF would go public with their account of how opposition to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's judicial overhaul was impacting the IOF's combat readiness.

"The news about coordination among security forces regarding the damage to the army's competence is not true and does not reflect the position of Mossad’s director, which he expresses in security forums and in front of the political echelon and not in the media," the statement read.

According to the "Jerusalem Post", the head of the IOF and Shin Bet also denied the reports, noting that they are currently in talks with the Israeli political leadership.

On Saturday, Israeli media reported that protesters demonstrated against the Israeli government's judicial reform policy for the 32nd week on Saturday evening, despite Netanyahu's determination that a key component of the disputed reform is implemented and military concerns that operational preparedness is deteriorating.

More than 150 such protests were planned across the occupied territories, including outside the residences of occupation government officials.

Organizers said in a statement that “In the past two weeks, we have witnessed the direct results of the judicial coup: racist policies by government ministries, the collapse of the police, and the beginning of a wave of emigration," according to Israeli media.

According to Israeli media, the government’s plans have continued to perturb the occupation's institutions, particularly the military.

Maj. Gen. Tomer Bar, chief of the Israeli Air Force, met last month with dozens of reservist pilots who have vowed that they will no longer show up for volunteer duty to protest the revamp, telling them that the force's preparedness is "worsening."

More than 10,000 reservists who always show up for service on a voluntary basis announced earlier this month that they would no longer do so after the coalition cleared the first key piece of related legislation last month. The reservists, some of whom have followed through on their threats, have warned that they will not be able to "serve in an undemocratic Israel," which some fear will emerge if the government's reform proposals are implemented.