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Last update - 10:33 14/12/2007 Why us - and why now? By Lisa Goldman Tags: enemy states, ISCU  During the second week of November, I was interrogated, "under caution," by the International and Serious Crimes Unit (ISCU) of the Israel Police. Four months after I had reported about my trips to Lebanon for Channel 10 TV news and "Time Out Tel Aviv," I was being accused of endangering Israeli security. I was accused of violating the Law to Prevent Infiltration, a 1954 regulation intended to prevent infiltration from Arab states. I had never heard of the law, which was later amended to forbid Israeli citizens from traveling to enemy states; nor had any of my Israeli friends and colleagues - although many of them have traveled to enemy countries on their foreign passports, as I did using my Canadian passport. The police told me I could face a four-year jail sentence if convicted. According to the Foreign Press Association, at least a dozen Israeli journalists have traveled to enemy states on their alternate passports over the past six months alone. The truth is that thousands of Israeli citizens have been violating this law with impunity for years, with the full knowledge of the authorities. Advertisement I am, therefore, puzzled by the decision of the ISCU to single out me and two other journalists. Why us, when we are only three among so many? And why now? After enduring four hours of questions, I read the statement drawn up by the police in my name, corrected the spelling errors, signed it, and was allowed to leave. The police forbade me to discuss my interrogation - beyond confirming that it had taken place - with anyone but my immediate relatives and my attorney. In fact, I did not even tell my mother about the incident. I heard nothing more about the matter until it was broadcast on the radio news, one month later. The police have not communicated with me since the news of the investigation was announced - nor, for that matter, has anyone from "Time Out Tel Aviv" or Channel 10 news. The latter was the only major Israeli media outlet that did not mention the investigation. Before Gaza was closed to Israeli journalists, those wishing to enter that territory were required to sign a waiver releasing the Israeli government from responsibility for their welfare. I would happily sign a waiver in return for the right to endanger myself at my own risk. Superintendent Alon Shaharbani's claim that I endangered my own life by traveling to Lebanon struck me as paternalistic, inappropriate and irrelevant to a criminal investigation. What next? Will I be forbidden to walk on London's Edgware Road, which is a hotbed of anti-Israeli sentiment? The ISCU officers also claimed, as have many others, that I endangered Israeli security because I could have been abducted by Hezbollah - which would then force the state to barter political prisoners in exchange for my freedom. The example of Elhanan Tennenbaum, a high-ranking former officer in the Israel Defense Forces Intelligence Corps, who was abducted by Hezbollah in 2000, is frequently bandied about. Somehow, no one has remembered a more recent precedent: Daniel Sharon, an Israeli with German citizenship, was detained for three weeks in October by the Lebanese police. His release was obtained by the German authorities, without Israel's involvement. Elhanan Tennenbaum was abducted from Dubai, and then taken to Lebanon. Dubai is not classified as an enemy country; in fact, many Israelis travel there regularly. Furthermore, Tennenbaum is alleged to have been captured while committing a criminal act - namely, setting up a drug deal. Most importantly, the Israeli authorities needed Tennenbaum released in order to discover what secrets he might have revealed to the enemy. I entered Lebanon legally, with a legitimate Canadian passport, and without criminal intent. I have never had access to classified information. The police are fully aware of these facts. Several Middle Eastern friends who read the news about my interrogation in the Arabic media e-mailed me to express their shock. "I am worried about you," wrote an Egyptian blogger. "I can't believe the Israelis are as retarded as their neighbors. Are you sure about the 'smartest people on earth' thing?" My interrogators showed me a letter, dated January 2007, from Deputy State Prosecutor Shai Nitzan. The letter is addressed to Daniel Seaman, the director of the Government Press Office. In it, Nitzan expresses his concern at the number of Israeli reporters who are traveling to enemy countries. He reminds Seaman of the law and instructs him to forward the reminder to government press cardholders. I am not on the GPO e-mail list, but I checked with several of my friends who are, and none of them received this information. Here I must add that I lodged an official complaint against Seaman with the legal department of the civil service in September 2006, after he refused to renew my credentials without a satisfactory explanation, and in the wake of other behavior I regarded as unprofessional. Now comes my investigation by the state. I believe there is ample evidence to suggest that the law is being applied capriciously in this case. In the meantime, I expect to have my press credentials renewed shortly. More significantly, I hope the attorney general will sensibly conclude that neither my colleagues nor I had any criminal intent, and that we did not endanger the security of the state. It would be heartening to have the attorney general restore my Egyptian friend's belief that Israel is not as retarded as her neighbors. Lisa Goldman is a freelance Israeli- Canadian journalist. She lives in Tel Aviv, and blogs at lisagoldman.net. Bookmark to del.icio.us   Facing off in Gaza Bitter infighting in Gaza may bode ill for Israel's truce with Hamas. Syria's frequent flyer Assad went to Iran to explain rather than excuse peace talks with Israel.   1.   ego trip 12:08  |  shlomo geistreich 14/12/07   2.   Does this woman really live in Israel? 12:24  |  Dani 14/12/07   3.   Why us-why now? 13:31  |  nina 14/12/07   4.   this woman is full of herself 13:57  |  Rebbeca 14/12/07   5.   you have gone too far Lisa 14:17  |  saus 14/12/07   6.   THe lefts Idiocy....... 15:01  |  GABE1 14/12/07   7.   Endangering Israeli security?? 15:02  |  T A Sheppard 14/12/07   8.   eject this loose cannon 15:34  |  henry 14/12/07   9.   rants 16:18  |  ren 14/12/07   10.   She is fool of herself 17:17  |  Ron 14/12/07   11.   missing the point 17:51  |  orli 14/12/07   12.   I am an Israeli citizen and had no idea it is illegal 18:04  |  Israeli 14/12/07   13.   TA Sheppard and `more Jewish` 18:08  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 14/12/07   14.   Shame 18:15  |  Nadine 14/12/07   15.   What Israeli law has she broken? 18:36  |  Paul Wood 14/12/07   16.   Foolish Security People 18:44  |  Mark of Lewiston 14/12/07   17.   lisa`s interrogation 18:55  |  elliot 14/12/07   18.   Mark that was unworthy of you 19:12  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 14/12/07   19.   A proud Leb schoolgirl on the Swedish TV "Now we have 2 Israelis! 20:00  |  Absolute Sweden 14/12/07   20.   She`s just lucky she`s not an Arab 21:23  |  peacelover 14/12/07   21.   # 4 to rebecca in tel aviv 21:24  |  eric 14/12/07   22.   Margie and Mark 21:25  |  Danite 14/12/07   23.   #6 gabe1 on journalism - 1st try 22:23  |  BBSNews 14/12/07   24.   #13 Margie, What Ignorance! 22:35  |  Kevin 14/12/07   25.   # 22: Danite 23:43  |  Janet 14/12/07   26.   Can`t help it ... 00:22  |  ... she`s a nerd 15/12/07   27.   Can`t help it ... 00:22  |  ... she`s a nerd 15/12/07   28.   Margie and eric are Lisa pseudonyms 00:33  |  I know 15/12/07   29.   Komrades we can get you 01:03  |  Sabra 15/12/07   30.   Kevin... 01:04  |  Avi 15/12/07   31.   BBS-@23 01:48  |  GABE1 15/12/07   32.   The axe 02:19  |  Curt Hopkins 15/12/07   33.   # 28 to "i know" who "knows naught" 02:38  |  eric 15/12/07   34.   18 & 22 Margie & Danite - Feeling Cynical 03:16  |  Mark of Lewiston 15/12/07   35.   Seaman and Shaharbani are retards. 03:22  |  Pablo B 15/12/07   36.   Lisa Goldman - enemy of Judea and Samaria 03:27  |  Mark Lincoln 15/12/07   37.   #31 Gabe1 on racism 04:46  |  BBSNews 15/12/07   38.   Janet 04:48  |  Danite 15/12/07   39.   Mark Lincoln 04:50  |  Danite 15/12/07   40.   #24 Kevin - Margie knows more about the internal situation than u 05:10  |  CK Tan 15/12/07   41.   Mark of Lewiston - Arrogance and Idiots 05:11  |  Mark Lincoln 15/12/07   42.   Mark Lincoln whigs out again 05:32  |  Danite 15/12/07   43.   #41 mark L the retard ABSOLVES murderers of their CRIMES 06:51  |  CK Tan 15/12/07   44.   The Law Is The Law 08:08  |  Khaled 15/12/07   45.   Lisa - your reporting was golden! 08:26  |  lirun 15/12/07   46.   margie and avi 09:16  |  fadi 15/12/07   47.   To Lirun 10:12  |  BBSNews 15/12/07   48.   #31 BBS-@23 Gabe1 11:17  |  Shoshannah 15/12/07   49.   fadi 11:50  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 15/12/07   50.   Listen, Goldman ... 13:20  |  H.P.O., headquarter 15/12/07   51.   Goldman playing games 13:27  |  protected civilian 15/12/07   52.   "I did not even tell my mom about it..." 13:36  |  cry baby 15/12/07   53.   @"orli" | #11 13:48  |  Sirene 15/12/07   54.   Lisa, how many nicks do you have in this talkback? 13:53  |  Talkbacker 15/12/07   55.   Lisa`s pseudonyms in this talkback 14:07  |  IP checker 15/12/07   56.   @Silly Lisa 14:25  |  Balagan 15/12/07   57.   @Goldman`s Lisa 14:32  |  Real Israeli 15/12/07   58.   Isn`t Lisa funny? 14:52  |  To say so 15/12/07   59.   "Enough with the whinning" 14:55  |  Eric Mondschein 15/12/07   60.   Tell me, Lisa: Why us, why now? 16:17  |  No fool 15/12/07   61.   What was she thinking? 16:22  |  joke 15/12/07   62.   The least you should do, Lisa Goldmouse: 16:26  |  Harm 15/12/07   63.   Oh: Lisa in the spotlight... :-) 16:33  |  Gaydamak 15/12/07   64.   #48 Shoshannah 18:46  |  BBSNews 15/12/07   65.   Sad Example of How Israel can be as 18:50  |  ARTH 15/12/07   66.   Low quality journalism..what`s the fuss all about 21:49  |  Anna 15/12/07   67.   low quality journalism part II 22:03  |  Anna 15/12/07   68.   what an accusation anna.. 01:21  |  lirun 16/12/07   69.   Question for Anna, #66 & #67 01:54  |  Rachel 16/12/07   70.   Neanderthal Jamboree 04:17  |  Nizo the Palestinian 16/12/07   71.   delusion 01:15  |  tali 04/08/08

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