Last week Israelis were embroiled in a loose exchange between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Benny Gantz as they accused each other at a ministerial meeting to discuss the exit strategy from the third national lockout.
“Innumerable Israeli blood will be on your hand!” he shouted Netanyahu while pleading to continue with the tight closures to fight the coronavirus.
“Don’t try to teach me anything about human life!” yelled back Defense Minister Benny Gantz, who accused the prime minister of delaying the lockout from attempting to file a criminal lawsuit against him.
The leak was clearly aimed at corroborating Netanyahu’s statement that he is in charge and Gantz is happy to risk his life.
Defense Minister Benny Gantz and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the Knesset
(Photo: The Knesset)
After the recordings surfaced, Gantz admitted that Netanyahu himself was behind his release. He demanded that the protocols from government meetings at the crisis be fully publicized, “and not just leaks that benefit the prime minister’s personal and legal needs.”
Given the current situation, it is not appropriate who read what and why.
The government often holds talks and makes decisions about the worst civilian crisis the country has ever known, all of which remain secret under the ancient archival law that prohibits the publication of government protocols. for at least 30 years. They act as if these debates hit Israel’s nuclear program (if it exists; we may finally know in several decades from now).
Coronavirus cabinet meeting in Jerusalem
(Photo: GPO)
At the same time, Netanyahu and other politicians are busy dropping sections of these meetings for their own political purposes while at the same time insisting that they remain secret.
Section 35 of the Basic Law: The Government states, “The deliberations and decisions of the Government and those of Ministerial committees on the following matters are confidential and their publication and publication is prohibited: Homeland security; State foreign relations; Matters which the Government considers confidentiality necessary for the State.
The law also states that this may relate to “a matter which the Government has decided to keep secret.”
But there is no reason to keep government discussions on the coronavirus confidential as they do not involve any kind of state secrecy or national security.
Confidentiality is not guaranteed because the ministerial meetings on the pandemic are held through the Zoom app, which allows each participant to record and share the conversations with anyone they choose.
Small business owners in Tel Aviv are protesting against the second lockout
(Photo: The movement to support the fashion industry)
The law prohibiting the publication of minutes of coronavirus meetings for 30 years is irrelevant and separated from fact.
This pointless secrecy also erodes public confidence in the government, when everyone knows that they will only let cherry choose conversations and make certain decisions for political reasons.
Now is the time to properly publish the discussions and conclusions regarding the damned coronavirus.
Not because it is a political issue, but because it is in the public interest.