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Last update - 12:56 07/01/2008 Citing security, state refuses to release data on settlements By Amos Harel, Haaretz Correspondent Tags: Spiegel Report, West Bank  The government is refusing to publish a database containing full details about the settlement enterprise in the territories, including outposts and neighborhoods built across the Green Line. In response to a High Court of Justice petition on the matter, the Defense Ministry is arguing that publication would harm state security and Israel's foreign relations. In October 2006, Haaretz revealed the existence of the Spiegel Report - the largest database ever compiled by the state on the settlements, by then special adviser to the defense minister Brigadier General Baruch Spiegel. The report, whose preparation was kept secret, revealed that extensive building was carried out without permits on dozens of veteran settlements - not just outposts - often on privately owned Palestinian land. Spiegel's data came from the Civil Administration and other government agencies, as well as from photographic sorties carried out by civilian aircraft leased by the military establishment. The data collection began after Spiegel and other Defense Ministry officials realized that the state's figures on the settlements were incomplete. It became clear that often the state's own information was incomplete in comparison with the data presented by the U.S. administration or gathered by Peace Now's monitoring staff. The lacunae stemmed from the government's policy of looking the other way. In some cases, information was deliberately kept hidden in order to help the settlers expand their control over land without having to contend with judicial oversight of their activities. Advertisement At the time, military sources described the information as "explosive" from a security and foreign-policy point of view, and claimed that part of the reason for the secrecy about the database was to avoid embarrassing Israel's relations with the U.S. In the wake of reports about the database, the Movement for Freedom of Information in Israel and Peace Now petitioned the district administrative court in Tel Aviv, demanding that the database be released for publication in accordance with the Freedom of Information Law. Last week the Tel Aviv district prosecutor's office submitted a pre-petition response including a statement from Brigadier General Mike Herzog, Defense Minister Ehud Barak's chief of staff. Herzog and the prosecution asked the court to bar publication of the material. They claim that while they have no quarrel with the principle of freedom of information they seek to invoke Chapter 9A of the law to prevent publication "for fear of harming state security and foreign relations." In his statement, Herzog argued that, "At the present time, public disclosure of the material could cause injury," about which "we are unable to expand upon." The attorney's office even asked the court for an in camera session, without the presence of the petitioners, during which the state would explain the basis of its claim. Judge Michal Rubinstein has not yet issued a decision on the matter. Related articles: Peace Now's list and map of illegal outposts Bush: Settlement expansion 'impediment' to peace 20 percent of evacuated Gaza settlers have sought psychological help Outposts and peace don't mix Bookmark to del.icio.us   Finkelstein in Lebanon A vocal U.S. critic of Israel met Monday with a senior Hezbollah official. Holocaustland 2007 sees record number of visitors at Auschwitz extermination camp.   1.   Settlements do not prevent peace 02:34  |  Gili 07/01/08   2.   gili 1 03:28  |  realism 07/01/08   3.   The court will never get its hands on this database 05:33  |  Johnboy 07/01/08   4.   TO GILI #1 05:35  |  Steve Beikirch 07/01/08   5.   #1 Gili poses a question 05:36  |  Johnboy 07/01/08   6.   security 06:36  |  rm 07/01/08   7.   Your national emblem should be the ostrich 06:36  |  Rowan Berkeley 07/01/08   8.   The Lost World 06:44  |  Danite 07/01/08   9.   More Israeli lies and deception 07:12  |  peacelover 07/01/08   10.   chapter 9A - cover up 07:59  |  Steve the Pals. 07/01/08   11.   Arabs lost the wars they started- tough luck 08:10  |  Metziut 07/01/08   12.   Candor, At Last 08:19  |  Moshe 07/01/08   13.   Steve Beikirch #4 09:05  |  gogo 07/01/08   14.   39 peace lover 09:12  |  danny 07/01/08   15.   The mafia said the same thing in its heyday 09:19  |  Natallie Durson 07/01/08   16.   The secret..... 09:45  |  Esther 07/01/08   17.   Even if they published it, it would not be the truth 10:08  |  Chanalau, Tova 07/01/08   18.   #7 ash tree you mean like britain and its muslims ? 10:11  |  victor hardman 07/01/08   19.   #12 - who is this `we` that promised to get rid of settlements? 10:13  |  redmike 07/01/08   20.   #4 - that won`t be a Paletinian State 10:22  |  redmike 07/01/08   21.   Such a lovely rationale, isn`t it? 11:05  |  Johnboy 07/01/08   22.   PATHETIC! Israel`s Status As A Renegade/Pariah State Intensifies 11:21  |  Proud Pal Defender 07/01/08   23.   Realism 11:41  |  Iz Ray Leigh 07/01/08   24.   Israeli Arabs dont want to live in PA 12:40  |  Umm Danny 07/01/08   25.   Right on RedMike 12:47  |  Umm Danny 07/01/08   26.   chanalau tova 12:51  |  danny 07/01/08   27.   The Arabs attacked us before settlement 13:31  |  Yonason Herschlag 07/01/08   28.   Johnboy and the stolen children in Australia 13:43  |  Lynn 07/01/08   29.   The Settlements 13:58  |  Sarah L 07/01/08   30.   #24 Um--Jews Including IRANIAN Jews DON`T Want To Live In Israel. 14:57  |  Proud Pal Defender 07/01/08   31.   British practice is to conceal the contents 15:36  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/01/08   32.   tz ray leigh re different tune 16:02  |  realism 07/01/08   33.   The truth would destroy Israel, hence the need for security.... 16:11  |  POP 07/01/08   34.   Settlements 16:44  |  Palestinian 07/01/08   35.   Realism 16:49  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/01/08   36.   Realism 16:49  |  Margie in Tel Aviv 07/01/08   37.   #1 Gili 17:31  |  Boycott 07/01/08   38.   #33 why is pop so dishonest he doesnt provide name or place 17:40  |  victor hardman 07/01/08   39.   we never gfive up info about our criminality 18:30  |  mossad 07/01/08   40.   #28 Lynn, re Australia`s aborigines 19:24  |  Ben Alofs 07/01/08   41.   YEAH...GOOD EXCUSE... HIDE LAND THEFT! 20:17  |  TrippleJump 07/01/08   42.   #3, Johnboy... 20:17  |  Silvienne 07/01/08   43.   #31 Margie, why this is not a sovereign matter. 20:49  |  Ben Alofs 07/01/08   44.   margie you`ve outone even victor 21:31  |  abu dana 07/01/08   45.   margie in ta 35 23:23  |  realism 07/01/08   46.   #28 Lynn is A Bit Behind The Times 02:16  |  Johnboy 08/01/08   47.   #36 Interesting observation, Margie 06:40  |  Johnboy 08/01/08

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