Anat Kam: I stole IDF documents to expose West Bank war crimes

THOU SHALT NOT STEAL. Begin with that-- add hubris and immaturity. Jail: give her a lifetime to regret her actions

"Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information." Of course, by THAT definition you are a "spy" if you are sitting on a bus and you CAN'T HELP but hear two blow-hards discussing something that's a "secret". And, of course, by THAT definition SDHD is also a "spy" if he becomes aware of anything that is in Blau's possession that the IDF didn't want the public to know i.e. reading an article in Haaretz by an investigative reporter like Blau would make SDHD a "spy".

l: "Except, of course the documents do not in fact show that IDF "committed war crimes" or "violated a Supreme Court order." At least those that Blau published in Haaretz don`t." Well, D'oh! Haaretz Can't Publish The Articles That Deal With Those War Crimes. Look up "Jonathon Cook", because he has mentioned one of the stories that was ready to be published before it was pulled at the last minute. There isn't much point my telling you what that story was, because my explanation won't get past the censor. But JK Cook published his story overseas, so google him up.....

to anyone who worked there; no questions asked - at least according to what this article reveals: http://www.haaretz.com/hasen/spages/1162659.html "she asked another clerk in the office to copy the folder onto two disks" - which she apparently did. "No one asked questions or showed interest in why she needed the files of secret material on disks before her discharge". These are supposed to be documents that can threaten national security? Well now I don't about Israel, but in the United States, one must have two things in order to even view classified files; one is a security clearance equal to, or greater than, the material being accessed, and the other is the NEED for access - without which you cannot. And attempting to copy, under ANY circumstances, would have you in cuffs before you even started. Not only did Anat have free access to this stuff, but she had a co-worker put it on disk for her. Explain that Cipora, if these documents are really that sensitive to national security. "Operational plans", you quoted in a another talkback. Of course operational plans! Blau's article on the West Bank assassinations was based one of those operational plans. Threat to national security? Nope! Threat to the operation itself? Nope; it happened already. The only threat is to the IDF's ability to continue its extralegal activities; and THAT Cipora, is the work of a "whistleblower", NOT a spy!

She is a shining example of a young woman of courage. She is no spy. She was not driven by greed or an unpatriotic motive. Stop the hatred! Live and let others live. Life is so SHORT to behave as a normal person.

Anat Kam is a true heroine. History will applaud her, and every peace-loving individual in Israel should do so as well. It's better to be on the right side of history... and she certainly is. Ms. Kam, the world salutes you!

The most important thing in the world is saving Jewish lives. That is the message of the holocaust for us Israelis, even if sometimes we use "foile schtick". However I have another question. What would the liberal 'left' say if Kam was an extreme 'rightist' and she gave the top secret contingency plans for dismantling settlements and evicting settlers to settlement groups. On the 'right' she would be a heroine and on the 'left... That is why I say that in the military one has no civil conscience. "If you can't stand the heat, get out of the kitchen" -Harry S. Truman.

Haaretz even mentioned her name! And she won't get life prison like Pollard had for less. And she won't be killed as these courageous Arabs that do exist (for a short time, however, alas). Too much democracy? I think so too.

Anat Kam should consider starting her own political party. She definitely has the courage and the moral fiber to lead the passive masses.

"A `spy` is a person who obtains classified material and conveys it to a foreign power." Mark Lincoln And what constitutes "conveys"? Placing it on the Internet "for all to see? Meeting another agent in a dark place and handing him the papers? OK. You have a choice ; A spy or a traitor, take your pick!

Well said. We all know that Israel is in a precarious and dangerous spot. But one does not defeat evil by embracing evil - this is the fallacy at work here. It is truly horrifying that so many of us do not seem to understand this, or simply not to care. There are criminals on both sides of the conflict, and the triumph of those on one side only improves the situation for those on the other. If we want our children or our grandchildren to know peace we must find a way to back away from the dangerous precipice the extremists on both sides push us towards. The first step is to respect and value those who act from conscience to protect innocents on all sides - not to criminalise them, "make an example" and rush headfirst towards the armageddon our so-called christian zionist friends envision for us.

"Interesting Slant" said, "You don't yell "fire" in a building full of people." However, if the building is on fire, then someone SHOULD yell "fire."

To sacrifice one's personal safety to expose crimes against humanity is divine. It makes one believe that there is hope for Israel, and of course the Palestinians who are the victims in this horrendous occupation. God Bless You Anat Kam

we may or not agree with the way our country deals with the very difficult situation,but we have no moral right to expose our defence to the eyes of others. surely there other ways of protest.

Nobody should remain SILENT when observed that ATROCITIES were being commited against human. The Holocaust happened because they were not many ANAT KAM about. The world communities should get together and insure that Israel allowe Anat Kam to live a FREE life for saving countless lives.

Will some brave Muslim female in Hamastan come forward and accuse Haniyeh and Mashal of crimes against humanity ,no it,s not the Muslim way ,where intimidation and violence is the order of the day ,not so Tony Silver ?

I dont know why you said "her" ideology because many people would do the same (not just to Israel but in any place where crimes are being committed by the state). So the fact that it was her ideology is a good thing is this case. Because there are no rewards for this kind of thing but the contrary; it will be a big deal throughout her life. This shows that the motive is justice and morality. you say she committed illegal acts but you have to remember that Israel has violated int'l law all the time and they act like it should apply to others and not them. Thats a double-standard and its a fact not an opinion or perception. So why can they get away with it and not her?

So when will some brave Muslim girl in Darfur bring the Muslim butcher of Sudan to justice in the Hague on crimes against humanity ,Mr.know it all Yaakov Sullivan ,care to reply or have you been caught out once again ?

last week, you Haaretz, would not allow talkbacks when you reported this story..now, the ones I see here are calling this 18 year old a hero...only a few are allowed to rebuttal, and then there are more slamming the ones who call this what it is...stealing documents that if found in our ememies hands, could expose the rest of us to murder and mayhem. I for one did not move here to have my own family set me up to be killed...for the sake of journalism. even the first admenment in the US has its limitations, you dont yell "fire" in a building full of people. Our government may not be the best, but in my opinion, it is better than what surrounds us on every side. What this person did is add fuel to a fire that is already out of control. She was an 18 year old, therefore displayed the maturity of an 18 year old...at the potential cost of a few innocent lives... a spade is a spade...

Take it from an american who has seen his own government and military run rampant over or constitution for years, a whistle blower like Anat Kam is an opportunity for Israel. I have come to beleave that in the american system, impeachment is a very good thing. If we had convicted Clinton during his impeachment, W would not have even tried,let alone succeeded in lieing us into war. There never is accountability. The world has been aware of Israels brutality against the Palestinians for yeaars, and Israel's standing and image have suffered dearly. Any one with half a brain could have surmised what Kam's documents show, the Israeli security services use demonstrations as a chance to murder opponents. Duh! But here is a chance for Israel to reclaim its soul handed to them on a legal silver platter. Take this opportunity to hold your outlaw leaders accountable. Take back control of your country and lead it on to a path worthy of Jewish tradition. Your current path is very dark indeed.

There probably already are so many copies of named documents in circulation that sooner or later the documents will find their way to WikiLeaks and be open to the whole world.

In every faction (religious, Leftists, Rightists, settlers, etc) there are exalted "heroes", convinced that only their faction knows best. Such "heroes" are ready to do crazy things... And the leftist faction is no bigger than the rightist one, while the settler and religious factions together are not only big, but crazy too. Spying is also crazy...

She can place her act along with Daniel Elsberg and The Pentagon Papers....

To #55 - I fully agree with you - she is endangering the lives of our boys in the army - I have 2 sons there. To #59 - I agree with you as well. If this happened in a Muslim country, she would hang. To #68 - No, she did not actually ASK for fame but she knew she would hit WORLD headlines thus creating fame. To #69 - It was not only war crimes she exposed, she also exposed military manoeuvers, thereby endangering our soldiers' lives.

spies act are known to act for two possible motives: money or ideology. she acted for ideology. this does not mean that she acted for israel, but rather for her own ideology. israel had previous cases of communists spying. in any case, she committed illegal acts.

IF information came before Kam indicating IDF war crimes THEN isn't she under a legal obligation to do somthing about it? After all, the defense of "I was only following orders" was refuted a long time ago.... If the information she took related to the illegal acts of the IDF then she really did have an obligation to take - and to reveal - them, and if she DIDN'T do that then her inactions would have made her an accessory to those crimes. Remember: we are talking WAR CRIMES here, not OPERATIONAL SECRETS. Unless, of course, you want to argue that they are one and the same thing as far as this "most moral army in the world" is concerned....

In exactly what way was she self-serving? As far as I can see she neither asked for fame, nor money, so there may be another good reason for doing it - her conscience?

Traitor's usually take money for the information they steal. Maybe, just maybe, she really did it for the sake of Israel. She certainly did not look for fame or money. Or?

Hey, just don't blame the Israelis. There are other groups in the region who act outside the law too. Your generalities indicate that you are one sided in your assessment. Everyone is responsible for the chain of events that has resulted in the regional conflict. Even you. Rather than blame Israel, come up with an idea or two that could help create the conditions for peaceful coexistence between Palestinians and Israelis in the region.

Expose the crimes, but don't put your country and your people at risk. T here are consequences for such stupidity.

There was no comparison to state sponsored mass murder. If you read the post in full I spoke of Anat as a good Zionist who cares deeply anout Eretz Yisrael. Israel is, at its core, a moral force in the world. She wants to keep it that way. The point is that unless people do things to ensure that the unsavory elements don't get away with crimes, bad things happen. Nazi extermination campaigns were bad things on steroids --having lost that cousin, an aunt uncle and grandmother in the camps, I get it. But small crimes count too. And if you can't use an extreme to teach a lesson that applies in smaller ways, too -- then the knowledge of this history is useless. You can't be suggesting a taboo on lessons of history from the 30s and 40s unless there is blueprint for mass extermination, rather than smaller, perhaps more petty crimes against humanity -- or are you?

if all enlisted personnel will start stealing sensitive documents for money, or fame, or selling Israel to the wolves then there will be no rule of law and military as we know it would disappear. She must be put in jail for a very, very long time to discourage followers. Any country in the world would react immediately upon this treason and desisively

Slimy Silver, who are YOU to define whether a Jew is a Good Jew or Bad ?? One thing is certain, you are bad news. What is a "Good Jewish" you blathering fool ??

Uri is safe in a real democracy like England, so I hope that Uri does the right thing and publishes the documents on the web for all to see. The truth will set you free.

you can lie about anything you want but regardless you are just simply and sincerely a traitor to your country....I hope they put you in prison....regards....Gregg

Oops. Natalie doesn't like to portray Jews. I forgot.

in order to keep it's reputation shiny clean. A bit like an oil change and service. Though I notice lot's of folk who it seems would NEVER service their car, never sweep the floor, never wash a dish, never clean a window, never purge the septic, never clean the chimney, never oil the gun, never change their underwear.

Did she profit from them? Her stated purpose is self evident. Any moron can figure it out. If the judge questions the validity of her stated reasons; then he's either a moron, or someone's stooge.

The justice system is just going through the formalities. We'll do the same for the conspirators who are still carrying out the extrajudicial executions. What's fair for the goose is fair for the gander and there is no statute of limitations for war crimes.

Who are YOU to disregard war crimes?

They can't harm Anat,she didnt something really illegal.

Uri Blau deserves a Pulitzer but Anat Kam deserves the Nobel Peace Prize. She is a shining example of a young woman of courage. She is no spy. She was not driven by greed or an unpatriotic motive. Israelis like her and Mordecai Vanannu represent the finest souls of Israel. Since when is exposing war crimes a crime in Israel? As for Uri Blau, he would be well advised to stay out of Israel. The Israeli authorities are not reknowned for keeping their deals and the documents he has will one day be useful when the time comes for war crimes trials. Blessings on them both. Souls like theirs may save Israel from the racist Zionist hysteria blinds most Israelis.

?In the test of history, people who warned of war crimes were forgiven.? This must be so, especially in Israel, a country in which so many people have suffered from an ideology of "Befehl ist Befehl".

Can anybody who really knows explain what constitutes and illegal vs a legal assasination. The US assasinates Al Queda members all the time; in Pakistan, Afghanastan, in Yemen etc, through predator drones or ground operations. Are these considered legal?

Ms. Kam is naive at best, not very intelligent at worst. Let?s just suppose for a moment that Ms. Kam is right and that the IDF was giving orders to its commanders and soldiers that were in fact war crimes. Did Ms. Kam honestly believe that ?exposing? this rested exclusively on her shoulders and that nothing would happen if she didn?t blow the whistle? That out of the tens of thousands of IDF soldiers that would be given orders to commit war crimes, there would not be one or ten or one hundred or hundreds or even thousands who would simply refuse to obey an illegal order and willingly face court-martials? That such a gross violation of the rules of war would not be denounced publicly? Was making copies of sensitive documents ? including operational plans ? and, by her own admission, keeping them on an unsecured computer at no small risk to the security of her fellow citizens the only way to do this? Let?s be serious.

Anat Kam, Uri Blau, and Haaretz will be honored long after Israel's current regime has been condemned by history.

Why are your own people accusing Israel of war crimes, even as the Hamas are shelling your cities? Are they unaware of the fact that 8/10's of Islamic people want Israel wiped out completely! Old Adolph tried it without half the advantages that Muslims have, and came close to succeeding! Wake up World and see the danger! Occulos habent et non vident! AC

It is not Anat Kam who said that the IDF committed war crimes in assassinating people it could have easily arrested. It was the high court of justice. Just a clarification for you.

"Were it left to me to decide whether we should have a government without newspapers, or newspapers without a government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter." -Thomas Jefferson, 1787.

Following orders is not a defense to participating in or covering up war crimes. No one knows better than the Jews the consequences of silent complicity in the face of the extermination or persecution of an entire people. That said, the discussion and judgment of Anat Kam's conduct should start here: Is a soldier ever justified in revealing classified materials when a war crime is apparent? If not, we are back to silent complicity. The oath of a soldier, standing alone, is not a justification for doing nothing at all? Nor must such crimes be 'proven' before such disclosure is required. It is the judgment of a competent court or, in some cases, society as a whole to decide culpability of its military. All that said, are there limits on how such information can be revealed? There are. here is the chain of command first and foremost. If Tthat, and the military establishment at large responsible for the subject policy, then resort should be had with the courts.

I believe all of you have no idea what security is all about. There is a saying one dummy throws a stone into the ocean 100 intellectuals cannot retrieve it! Here we have an irresponsible young schnook and all of a sudden she is a star. Shame on all of you, if you do not like your country go to Gaza!

Israel did the crime End of story But the UN will fail yet again and we will waste years debating what's in these files

The IDF's relentless persecution against Arabs gays is well known. However up until now it has not been well documented. Anat Kam may have broken the law is exposing the IDF's homophobic atrocities, but she has shown a moral courage that one does not see often in Israel.

I thank you Haaretz for running with this story and not silencing it as other Israeli media outlets would. By doing this you show that there remains a kernel of decency and honesty within the Israeli media establishment, and you've also demonstrated with this story the rare courage of an individual within an organization that I expect would be very hard to defy.

Don't you have at least one newspaper in the US other than the Murdoch press... as for the CIA, do you really believe in truth and justice in the USA?

if your definition of a good jew can be applied for all human(cuz jews re human too...) a good human being must not tolerate crimes and be honest and expose security mesures of the country so a good palestinian cuz they re human too must be confronting hamas cuz hamas is a criminal entity. they dont stop by murdering Israelis they publicly murdered their opponents several times since the coup in Gaza. for ur definition there re much more good jews(many lefties and many other traitors) than good palestinian(few exemples). If the world worked like u thought in a childish naive and good way. but sorry it does not.

"A `spy` is a person who obtains classified material and conveys it to a foreign power." Lincoln, you are a fruitloop. Would a CORPORATE spy turn information over to a foreign power? No. Here is the wiki definition: Espionage or spying involves an individual obtaining information that is considered secret or confidential without the permission of the holder of the information.

all israel is out of law

I wish to see all israelis as honest as Anat Kam!

If she really did expose IDF war crimes she has nothing to worry about but if she was duped into stealing classified material to simply embarrass it or to exposes IDF methods or if she did it for the promise of a job, then she is indeed a paid spy who should feel the full weight of the law. Regardless of how much she believed in her cause. Many soviet spies during the cold war also considered their cause to be worthy but that didn't spare them long prison sentences when they were caught

but in a democracy, you are more likely to hear them and you bear the responsibility of letting them speak the truth or shutting them up.

"Can someone please tell me what would of happened to her if she did what she did in any other Middle eastern country? I think Israel should do the same to her." Israel/Israelis usually pride themselves on being able to say they are "The only democracy in the Middle East" so now you are saying you are just like any other tinpot country in the Middle East? Make up your minds. This woman is and should be a hero for exposing the faults of your government that even though were apparent to the likes of Judge Goldstone and others, is still not appreciated by people of your ilk. Why? Because you and others like you fully support this even though you dont have the courage to admit it publicly. People like you are just upset that she exposed you and your ideals to the world. Good on her!

A true Jewish soul has taken a courageous step in exposing the criminals who masquerade as Zionists.

"In the army, you have no civil conscience. you do what you are told and anything that is top secret remains top secret. If you do not like what you are doing, ask to be transfered to a less sensitive position." I find your comment to be rightout dangerous. This would be the mindset that guards at Nazi camps would have had. Don`t think, that`s not your job, no concience needed, just do as you`re told. Wouldn`t the world desparately need people that HAVE a concience and that DO think for themselves ? Would history not have been different, had there been (more) people like this woman ?

This case is another example of the left's insanity. A people that has seen a tragedy never experienced by any other , after 2000 yrs of humiliation and intimidation , trying to survive and trying to follow in best humanitarian traditions , is expected to follow the ideals and rules that hardly any people , in the midst of a national survival contest, in fact follow.No wonder the left has thus far never succeeded anywhere to remain in power!!!

what happened to you?

"In the army, you have no civil conscience. you do what you are told and anything that is top secret remains top secret. If you do not like what you are doing, ask to be transfered to a less sensitive position." -Avi That's the appropriate response to war crimes? On Holocaust Remembrance Day, maybe your should think about how the Holocaust was made possible.

Embarassing officers and Israel is wrong. She acted as a spy for the enemy

She reportedly stole hundreds of documents, relating to all kinds of military matters. She according to Yuval Diskin has endangered the lives of our soldiers. Her treasonous behavior is something she should be ashamed of. If she is found guilty,they should throw the key away.

The documents should be returned and her perception of wrong doings investigated. Everyone's actions, especially in uniform, gives a representation of their nation, their faith, etc. It's unfortunate that she felt compelled to take these kinds of actions rather than following a protocol for addressing grievences unless she tried and there were no results. That can even happen here with issues involving law. Scripturally, women have been given lienency where it was applicable. Women, as well as men, need to be heard and their words taken seriously. The whole populous makes up the nation. This affair can be construed as her being more concerned with safeguarding Israel than looking at it's demise.

If Israel continues on its same course, with cover ups and war crimes hidden my military order, and further, more draconian attempts to prop up its occupaton, then in 25 years, there will be no Israel.

God, Jesus, Mohammad, all the prophets, all those who were or will be murdered for their righteous consciousness, and her own conscience.

It's through, not threw! You're a Canadian, yet you spell like an American.

I believe this girl will be imprisoned for 25 years.

Boruch has it absolutely right....it's you who doesn't get it and is getting legalistic.

Next time, try stealing some Hamas documents and show what's happening on the other side of the fence. Balance is key to good journalism.

Can someone please tell me what would of happened to her if she did what she did in any other Middle eastern country? I think Israel should do the same to her.

This woman committed treachery and so she tries to claim it was for some higher noble cause so she is not a criminal. She is nothing more than a traitor and she should be given maximum jail time, have her citizenship revoked and assets seized to set an example to any future potential traitors. THROW THE BOOK AT THIS TRAITOR!

This is what happens when leaving everything to IDF self-investigations.

is an Israeli public that does not want to know about it. No one can claim anylonger not to know.

"A spy is not a whistleblower" - Boruch A 'spy' is a person who obtains classified material and conveys it to a foreign power. There is a much lesser crime of mishandling classified materials.

"What's wrong with this picture?" EVERYTHING Kamm will be remembered as a self-serving, egotistical child who endangered the lives of our soldiers and our people by stealing and abusing the trust the nation put into her. Shame. I hope she receives many years in jail-- minute after minute after minute to review her deeds.

Reminds me a little of Mordechai Vanunu. "I do not think he will be tricked," Feldman said. "I believe he will bring back the documents, he will not be harmed" Oh really.

Whistleblowers are heros unlike those who cowardly remain silent in the face of wrong-doing. Without them a country sinks into a moral morass. Her expose will lead to a change inside IDF decision making and adherence to court orders - and thus to an improved image of her country. Admirer

Please sir do not even try and compare the loss of your cousin at the hands of the Nazis to the Israelis. It kind of cheapens their memory. Now if someone in the Nazi regime had exposed the blue prints for the final solution which was a clear war crime then that would be justified and considered heroic. Certainly one may have their opinions about the IDF and their policies but its certain no one can state clearly including Ms. Kamm that they constitute anything resembling war crimes. I believe she is naive in her thinking. Even her a father alluded to this in an interview with Yair Lapid last Friday. She "stole" sensitive material and therefore should be punished. I think life imprisonment is a bit extreme.

her career. the world throws the concept of war crimes around loosely these days. Nothing i have read about the IDF and the west bank remotely approaches, the Congo, Srbrenica, or Darfur.

At her age she's not a fully trained investigative journalist. And it appears she may have made some security errors. Though her errors seem lots less serious than the general who had her accessing stuff so he wouldn't be inconvenienced, using a computer. And now it is unlikely that the crimes she alleges will ever really see the light of day or have a full examination as the legal issues they should. The IDF culture of impunity continues unabated. Anything less that a full public inquiry of the charges she's alleging maintains the cover-up.

Anat Kam is one of those rare persons who will risk all in a struggle against evil and corruption. If senior Israeli officers are conspiring to commit murder, Israelis will want to know this. If this doesn't bother Israelis, then the world will want to know this. Either way, Anat Kam has found a proud place in history books. She will be remembered as an upright person after the rest of us are gone and forgotten.

As Logios said you had so many options other than self-interest and I don't believe anybody thinks you did it for the good of Israel. Treason is a serious offence and you will have many years to think about it. I feel sorry for your parents and wonder how they are coping.

In the army, you have no civil conscience. you do what you are told and anything that is top secret remains top secret. If you do not like what you are doing, ask to be transfered to a less sensitive position.

Kam was motivated by her morals when she took these documents. She was witnessing the violence against Pals. Perhaps she was forced to shot someone or many because of military orders. Kam and these documents are just additional evidences to the many evidences already exist. Who did not see what has happened in Gaza? Who did not see the white phosphors burning the children of Gaza? Who did not pregnant Pal women giving birth on checkpoints? While Kam's behavior is driven by morals and humanity, its sad that the world needs more evidence to act against inhumanity in Palestine. The world must act and stop the crimes there.

As described here and by Akiva Eldar, Israeli law is way too broad when classifying the mere possession of classified information as "espionage", even when the possessor is a journalist who had the information leaked to him so that he can expose some wrongdoing or a malfunction of the system. Journalism is essential in helping keep governmental systems cleansed on a continuous basis. The obvious solution to this is to explicitly EXCLUDE journalists from this part of the law (as in the US), provided they don't give the information to others or publish it abroad, but only publish it in Israel and subject to the military censor's requirements. Incidentally, the leakers of the information should be subject to all existing laws. I don't feel sorry for Anat Kamm. She had the option of providing the documents to the State Comptroller, or the Attorney General, or the President of the Supreme Court, and they would have started a serious investigation of the matter. I hope such criminal investigation of IDF officers involved in illegal assassination still takes place.

what we are now seeing is all spin designed by her lawyer to keep her out of jail. At best she did it because she had ambitions of becoming a journalist and at worst she wanted to harm the state. The bottom line is that she's a thief who endangered the security of Israel and deserved to be punished. She likely will not be ,only because it will be in the interest of the state not to come to trial.

I can already smell it...

"Everyone`s knows Israel`s intentions, is to rid Palestinians from their homes,the resistance is so powerful,Israel keeps trying new tactics". a nation that stands in from of the entire world to say they are a moral army, when many know differently.

Anat, may God give you the strength. We love you. people like you always WIN. Thnaks for your great heart.

"The next step is the criminals who ordered the war crimes will be punished and sentenced". Let us wait and see.

got a big set of balls. Her actions won't make up the other ugly acts of IDF, but one has to accept that her courage is magnificent. Thank you, Anat.

Anat Kam is one of the just that can no longer tolerate a government that has usurped our values in the name of security.

I get the impression most of the people criticizing her would be much more happy if Israel got away with illegal actions as long as they were against Palestinians. Perhaps they should consider that an army which got used to the idea that it could eliminate unfortunate (to the army) people might change its criteria in the future and come after them.

Is all the sensitive information inside the documents... What Anut failed to do was sift threw the 1000's of documents for information pertaining to any war crimes committed by the IDF. Instead she just copied and pasted the documents which could contain very sensitive information about Israeli Military strategies... You see she thought that since Israel has laws restricting the publishing of said information that what she did was not wrong... but now this information has been put on several non-secure computers which could be easily hacked... No Anut and Blau, should both be put in Jail for a very long time... The right of the Individual in the case cannot out weigh the security of millions of Israelis…

How blind is the Israeli public that they can't see the real story here.

Perhaps he did not get extended for entirely different reasons (the official versions looks like an excuse), with Netanyahu and Barak seeing the storm coming.

Nora forcing small children to open bags that are believed to contian explosives is wrong , using civvillians as human shields[neighborhood policy] is wrong, shooting wimin and children waving white flags is wrong, killing suspects instead of arresting them is wrong. Shooting unarmed civillian protesters [ 4 more killed just recently] is wrong.

The most moral instance of the most moral army was the former IDF soldier Anat herself.

If she thought the IDF capable she should have refused the draft in the first place. Most think it was her ambition that did her in. It is easy to declare sainthood after you are caught.

Willay- She is a hero, but not for the reasons you state. While there are some in Israel who would like to make all the Palestinians go away, just as there are some in the Arab camp who wish Nazism had prevailed in WWII, so there would be no Israel, its not true, nor ever been true that Israel wants to eliminate all the Palestinians. In fact, it was the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, in 1948, who called for throwing all the Jews in the sea, leading to massacres, and then causing some Jewish hotheads to retaliate (e.g. Deir Yassin). I know that's little solace for those affected by such events. But as with Deir Yassin, when the Jewish Agency denounced the massacre, the majority of Jews do not support and many denounce such calls for expulsion. Anat is a hero because she stood up for the rule of law and democracy -- in the face of a overwhelming power (imagine being a 20 year old in such a situation). She in no way agrees with your assessment, and it is slander to suggest otherwise.

Uri Blau should not return to Israel, cause he will be prosecuted as a triator. The best he could do he could give these documents to our CIA: we, American taxpayers, pay 3 billion per year to Israel and we want to know what IDF doing in West Bank behind our back. As of Anat Kam, international peace movement should struggle for her release. In the shoes of Israelis, I would question the occupation policy, which inherently gives impetus to all kind of war crimes. Israel is a tiny country: US and Russia military excesses may be forgiven due to power and huge territory, but unusual concentration of journalists in historic Palestine makes IDF crimes all too exposable. Unfair: maybe! But nevertheless US good will to I. by Obama administration evaporates very rapidly, and Anat Kam episode could make US public opinion swing against current Israeli gov-t, not to mention parents of 24-year-old Rachel Corrie suing IDF for killing in cold blood of their daughter in West Bank.

Missing from this report, of course, are two issues mentioned in the ynet report: 1. Kam admittet to have negligently misplaced one CD (lack of responsibility). 2. She mentioned as a motivation her frustration of 'not making an important contribution during her service' (self-grandeur and narcism postering for conscience).

Nora-you miss the point when you ask "who are you" to do this.International law makes clear that "just following orders" is not an excuse. Your comment indicates that good soldiers just follow orders. Full Stop. I lost a six-year-old cousin to the gas chambers at Auschwitz when good soldiers did as they were told.So I understand the price of just following orders. It appears she Anat Kam acted thoughtfully. She could have leaked to a foreign newspaper (like Va'anunu did) which would have avoided the military censor and really harmed security. This is no dummy and no usurper. She cares deeply about Eretz Yisrael. Unlike the soldiers who refuse orders outright to remove illegal settlers, she acted in support of democracy and rule of law. Indeed, if the classification was done to cover up crimes, then those who so classified the docs are guilty of conspiracy and obstruction.She apparently blew the whistle when those to whom one normally reports crimes misused power to cover-up.

I think it would be best if Israel forms a truely independent commission that investigates IDF war crime charges based on the new evidence.

with the emergency battle plans in case of war and similar other documents.

In the long term, Israel will not exist unless it exists as a democracy. Totalitarian governments invariably implode from built-in tension, or steer their nations in self-destructive directions. Democracies self-correct through public transparency. Totalitarian regimes require secrecy for political reasons. Such secrecy is abhorrent to a democracy. History has judged those who did nothing about their nation's crimes to be complicit in those crimes. It appears that Israel is near a cross roads in deciding what kind of nation it will be.

as they remain under the gag order.

we all ought to do in her situation...She deserves our support and respect. Kol ha-kavod. The accusation that she endangered the country is simply baseless.

it's you doesn't know right from wrong....when I served in the IDF I was concentrated on doing my job and not exposing supposed wrongs. And if she really wanted to expose things which in her humble opinion were wrong then the way to do it is via the Israeli Judicial system which is respected throughout the world. I don't believe a word she says.

Indeed. She exposed our children and G.children to the danger of being killed by putting highly secret documents in hands that might use them for other purposes. She could have just copied the relevant documents and go to court with them , as she is such a briliant girl who wanted revange and enhance her career. What she did it outright treason. This does not exonerate the army for its lax security. Real Shame.

Its very easy for someone stealing important documents to say that the purpose was to whistleblow. One of the issues before the Court will be to judge the veracity of that defence. The whisteblowing justification may not be a defence but may well be relevant to sentencing. It sounds from the tenor of the article that a judge has some doubts about the whistleblowing explanation but we will eventually see.

Was Mr. Vanunu a liar also? Why do people become enraged when they get caught with their hands in the cookie jar? You people are pissed off because she exposed some pretty stinking behavior. Salaam/Shalom

To expose war crimes and crimes against one's nation, a nation that stands in from of the entire world to say they are a moral army, when many know differently. You are a hero. Everyone's knows Israel's intentions, is to rid Palestinians from their homes,the resistance is so powerful,Israel keeps trying new tactics. This is a nation, protected by the US, who claims they want peace.

...the documents do not in fact show that IDF "committed war crimes" or "violated a Supreme Court order." At least those that Blau published in Haaretz don't. Anat Kam didn't read the papers too well. It's funny she wanted to play a lawyer and now one is going to put her in prison for espionage.

So you think 18 year old soldiers are too stupid to understand what is going on, but clever enough to serve in the army? Anat Kamm has done something that nobody else in Israel would even dream about, because we are a brainwashed nation. Finally a free thinker with a developed sense of justice stood up, not to harm the country, but quite the opposite - make Israeli citizens think for themselves. I hope for Anat this whole episode will soon be over, and you will see - we will hear from her one day!

israel once argued that idf is the most moral army in the world even though the entire world knew the opposite. What do you have to say now? Thank you Anat, you are a brave women and I wish your efforts will not be in vain. I really hope your action will lead to peace in middle east.

According to the prevailing conventional wisdom, that A. Kam committed a crime, the bystanders, that is, the witnesses should remain silent while human abuse and outright crimes against humanity should be allowed to go on, unreported and unpunished. That happened in World War Tw, and Israel has repeatedly accused 'the world' for remaining silent while the atricities were 'allowed' to go on. Although what takes place in the West bank is not any near what had yaken place in Europe, the principle is the same regardless of the order of magnitude. Crimes ARE and have been perpetrated in the W.B in the name of national security, the alibi used to cover up the planned takeover of the occupied territory. It is the world community which should pressure Israel to let Kam off the hook for exposing the undermining of a 2 state solution and lying about its real intentions.

Evil triumphs when good people do nothing. Anat Kam may awaken the dormant conscience of those Israelis who wish to end the occupation and bring peace to the region but are too passive to take the first step. She should be awarded the Noble Peace prize not a prison sentence.

If at the age of 18 you are ordered to carry a dangerous weapon and possibly shoot it, we can assume that you can also tell from "right" and "wrong" or from "war crime" to "standard military actions". If the documents do indeed expose war crimes than good for her.

As is the 'norm' in such circumstances, the 'message' (the crimes) are not discussed. It is the 'messenger'(Kam and Blau) who are the topic for discussion.

Can you imagine if a woman in the Serb military or militia had exposed their war crimes in Kosova or Bosnia? Anat Kam may have broken the law, but she has shown a moral courage that one does not see often in Israel. She rose above propaganda and lies put out by the IDF and has exposed them for the sake of a higher law. Who is a worthy woman? Her price is greater than rubies. The next step is the criminals who ordered the war crimes will be punished and sentenced.

There is a difference between exposing alleged wrongdoing by using legal means and stealing/publicizing secrets docs. Anat Kam and her apologists from Haaretz don't seem to get it.

National Security is more than just keeping secret what the State considers too embarrassing to admit. Preserving National Security could be revealing a State which pursues and hides crimes. The State has charged Anat Kam, the documents indict the State. What DOES Israel want to be? Will it follow the IDF and current Government down the road to international perdition? Or will it return to the decency it once aspired to?

Israelis are in denial about the excesses of their government. However anyone that has visited the West Bank knows of the brutality of the settlers and the protection they receive from the IDF. Anat Kam is one of the just that can no longer tolerate a government that has usurped our values in the name of security.

Who are you to expose war crimes? You were an 18 year old soldier , not a journalist when you decided to steal IDF documents. IDF trusted you during your two year long "stealing crime". Worst, who was behind you? Haaretz? Peace now? Who?Who told you "It will be all right, we will cover you, we will make a journalist out of you, just give us the 2000 documents you stole"" After your crime, all of a sudden, you became journalist (Sic) at Walla. Haaretz, with its 30% of the shares on Walla, placed you at Walla. The IDF should be aware that more than one Anat Kam could be placed at sensitive military units.