An investigation is warranted
The members of left-wing group Breaking the Silence believe they are working towards Israel's betterment, but their radical activities, especially abroad, are causing us a great deal of damage.
There is no need to impose the NGO transparency law upon them. It is unnecessary and ill-advised, and Justice Minister Ayelet Shaked should believe as much herself. This has nothing to do with her political environment. They are not traitors, but they may end up taking actions that go against essential state security laws.
The investigative report that journalist Dr. Ilana Dayan conducted into the illegal activities of radical left-winger Ezra Nawi was warranted. The demonstration by left-wingers who stormed into a university class she was teaching was a threat to freedom of expression and democracy. The Channel 2 investigative report on the brazenness with which Breaking the Silence members question innocent soldiers about the weapons used by the IDF under various circumstances was also warranted.
The heads of Breaking the Silence (and the Meretz leaders who support them) are being misleading when they attack the use of materials, like the videos of the interviews, obtained by right-wing groups. Where the information came from is not important. The same is true when it comes to actions taken for the sake of the country. The test is whether criminal actions were indeed taken, if the testimony is true. The motive is not important. (And right-wing groups are not criminal by definition.)
If there was a crime regarding IDF soldiers' integrity or their respect for the purity of arms, it should be thoroughly investigated. Breaking the Silence should complain to law enforcement authorities rather than bash Israel abroad. There is no justification for asking a soldier about the position of his gun during operational activities or asking what the gun's firepower was. This information is not essential for them in their struggle "against the occupation."
Defense Minister Moshe Ya'alon's orders to investigate the issue are warranted. In effect, what members of Breaking the Silence are doing is not essentially different from the actions of Anat Kamm, who has spent several years in prison for transferring top secret military documents to a journalist. The phrase "the road to hell is paved with good intentions" was created for exactly these kinds of illegitimate activities.
Both the Left and the Right in Israel deal with issues like this without stepping back to evaluate. The horrible murder of a Palestinian family in Duma was deemed by Habayit Hayehudi MK Bezalel Smotrich not to be terrorism; and now Breaking the Silence's illegitimate actions are being defended by Meretz MKs, who are quick to criticize Ya'alon without concern for Zionism or legality.
What's sad is that those with ample national security experience, like former GOC Northern Command Maj. Gen. (ret.) Amiram Levin and former Shin Bet security agency head Ami Ayalon, are not stepping back to evaluate either, but instead are quick to support Breaking the Silence.
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