3 Thoughts on “Prisoner X”
February 13, 2013 14:19 by Simon Plosker
It’s not surprising that the story of “Prisoner X” has captured the attention of the world’s media. Here are a couple of thoughts on what we’ve seen so far.
1. You can’t put a lid on it:
One thing is crystal clear, however. The Israeli government’s attempts to squash the story have backfired and have drawn more attention to itself. The gag order meant to muzzle the Israeli press has been shown to be a blunt and ineffective instrument. For some people, their morning delivery of the English edition of Haaretz came packaged with the International Herald Tribune. While Haaretz was subject to publishing restrictions, the IHT had no such problem with printing the “Prisoner X” story.
In an age of global communications, it is virtually impossible to keep a lid on the information leaking out somewhere and Israeli media are quite adept at reporting what the foreign media are reporting in order to circumvent the limited censorship that exists when it comes to issues pertaining to national security.
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2. Less is more:
Intrigue, spies, the Mossad – all the ingredients of a Bond-esq caper. And to top it all off, the chance to speculate or weave conspiracy theories surrounding Israeli behavior. Indeed, in this case, less really is more. The story seems to have grown legs precisely due to the lack of information and the mystery involved.
Add to this the fact that most of the story is based on on a single Australian news report that relies on unnamed sources and the “expert analysis” of a former Australian intelligence operative who is also reliant on speculative guesswork.
3. Journalistic responsibility?
When Julian Assange published classified material on his Wikileaks site, his crusade for “transparency” showed little regard for the people whose identities were exposed, including intelligence operatives and informants. Most likely, some of these people may have even lost their lives as a result of this internet exposure.
In 2009, Australian Fairfax journalist Jason Koutsoukis investigated Ben Zygier – a.k.a. “Prisoner X” – and was told that three Australians with joint Israeli citizenship were allegedly working for the Mossad and said to be selling electronics to Iran through a company based in Europe. When Fairfax published its story in 2010, it did not expose the “Mossad front company.”
Koutsoukis has not revealed why this was. Could it be that he saw the bigger picture and decided not to expose an Israeli operation against Iran’s nuclear program? If this is the case (and once again, we can only speculate) then Koutsoukis may have been putting his responsibility for the greater good above that of publishing the full story.
Likewise, Israeli journalists, up until the point where the gag order was partially lifted, went along with the Israeli authorities’ instructions not to publish. Not because of any sympathy with censorship or curtailing freedom of speech but from a profound sense of patriotism and the recognition that sometimes the security of the state and a citizen’s responsibility to uphold it trumps the freedom to publish.
***
Perhaps this case has drawn the ire of some Israeli politicians and the press as it is, thankfully, so unusual for such a dramatic gag order to be made in a country with a free and vibrant press.We may never know the full story behind the “Prisoner X” affair but you can bet that the media, both Israeli and foreign, won’t stop trying to find out everything.
Image: CC BY-SA HonestReporting.com, flickr/Lauren Michell, flickr.
Louisa
2:40 pm
Feb 17, 2013
Sadly, this yet another way to demonise Israel by inuendo. Ordinary people will be led to believe that Israel is like communist Russia, or other countries where political dissidents have been arrested, never to be heard from again.
BUT in those cases, we know why. They’ve either written books or held protest rallies or something else very public.
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3 Thoughts on “Prisoner X” | The Conservative Papers
7:05 am
Feb 18, 2013
[...] trying to find out everything. Image: CC BY-SA HonestReporting.com, flickr/Lauren Michell, flickr. VN:F [1.9.22_1171]calculating…Rating: 0.0/10 (0 votes cast)topsyWidgetPreload({ "url": [...]
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Hans
8:35 pm
Feb 19, 2013
I won’t take up that bet that the media, both Israeli and foreign, won’t stop trying to find out everything but I will offer you a couple of my own:
1) Unable to find real information some media will make up their own story…
2) Anti-Israelis of all colors will spin this into at least several conspiracy theories…
However, I’m guessing that just like I refused your bet you will be refusing my bets… And you’ll be doing so for the same reason: these are sucker bets!…
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M.Sphardi
8:07 pm
Feb 20, 2013
Many years ago, a former Israeli intelligence officer said that he didn’t read newspapers and preferred history books. I suspect that he meant that one needs a panoramic, full view of all the relevant events and facts to make sense of current events and then, of course, one still must read several histories. One of the advantages of living in to very old age is the revelation of most of the facts to make sense of the past. I was in Israel during the 1956 Sinai Campaign and could not figure out until recently why Israel agreed to participate in it at all.
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steven L
2:39 am
Mar 03, 2013
When someone farts in IL, it triggers a tsunami in the world!
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Augustus Silverton
1:27 pm
Mar 12, 2013
” … The Israeli government’s attempts to squash the story … ”
===
out with it. Some israeli institution mostly treated me well, but when I was “too” honest, the “reward” to me by them was actually unrightful SUSPICION.
I am afraid, that with too many not good enough teachers, Israel’s level of education might sink.
That is the fundamental problem.
Now, one could dream about personal contributions. Futile. Only as a people who is many, and just and content, can we strive and progress.
But I see, how truly modern Israel is. We need more equality between rich and poor people also there.
We don’t need violence and stupid brainwashed palestinian demonstrators. period. pax et securitas
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3 Pensamientos sobre el Prisionero X « Unidos x Israel
3:09 pm
Mar 12, 2013
[...] del 13 de Febrero del 2013 Artículo traducido por ReporteHonesto de HonestReporting, escrito por Simon Plosker. No es de extrañar que la historia de [...]
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steven L
10:19 pm
Mar 29, 2013
Anything Jewish or Israeli allows jerks to make mega box. That is why an organization like BBC pounds day in day out on the Jews & IL. That is why they do not hesitate to inflame the IL-Pal conflict whenever they have a chance. It brings lots of$ to BBC.
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