Doing more harm than good

One cannot overestimate the potential damage Deputy Regional ‎Cooperation Minister Ayoob Kara caused Monday by revealing the little he did on the security affair he was made privy to. Suffice to say that if the details he made public caught the eye of the wrong people, lives would be placed in danger.

The affair in question, which is under a comprehensive gag order, is being handled by the relevant officials. These same officials have been dealing with this case for months -- long before Kara was let in on its details.

Several journalists are also aware of the gist of the case, but they have made no attempt to make it public, as they are aware of the potential ramifications.

This of course debunks Kara's assertion that there was no gag order in place when he wrote his now-removed Facebook post. A truly responsible official does not need a court order to do the right thing.

His assertion the he "deals with such cases on a daily basis without the defense establishment's permission" also fails to hold water. Luckily there are only a handful of "similar cases," and those are handled by the defense establishment without the esteemed MK's assistance.

Kara's actions, however, have caused a triple problem: First, it gives those involved false hope; second, it makes a mockery of the law. There is a way to make such stories public. Kara may have parliamentary immunity but that does not give him special privileges regarding the law -- had any journalist done the same, he would have been questioned by the police. Third, the MK has placed lives at risk. It's as simple as that.

Kara's intentions may have been well placed, as everyone assumes this was not a populist move, but it backfired nonetheless.

The elusive security affair has become the focus, with half the country now trying to figure out what it's about and who is involved. This in turn means this sensitive case may spring a leak, despite the significant efforts made to keep it under wraps.

If this happens, Kara's blunder may result in more than diplomatic embarrassment, and he and he alone will be made to shoulder responsibility for it.

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