Death of Unit 8200 cybersecurity officer Tomer Eiges - a political assassination?
In what appears to be a sea change in Israeli mentality, the public is refusing to accept government censorship and lies in this case.
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Tel-Aviv, June 7 - late evening yesterday, Israeli Department of Justice filed a motion for an urgent court hearing this morning, to approve an expanded "paraphrase", pertaining to the death of a "suicide intelligence officer". [i] "Paraphrase" is the Israeli legal term for court-approved short public version of sealed information. The news item still adhered to the heavy censorship state narrative - not mentioning the officer's name and referring to him as "suicide".
Also last night, IDF spokesman issued a notice that its approach in this matter had changed... and it had been decided to engage in "full transparency in the intelligence officer's case... except for the core security-intelligence secret"... [ii]
Furthermore, last night protest was announced on social media for this evening (Monday) in front of IDF headquarters in Tel-Aviv, calling for transparency in the death of Captain Tomer Eiges. Here, the officer's name was spelled out, and the state narrative of "suicide" was rejected. Such protest is unprecedented in Israel.
https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=10159696698640139&set=g.311104414063143
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The affair was first vaguely reported on on May 18, during the latest cycle of war in Gaza, but went unnoticed.
https://twitter.com/OrHeller/status/1394659673521934338?s=20
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The case got traction only over the past week, starting with a series of sketchy, heavily censored reports in Haaretz daily in Israel. [iii] As is often the case under such circumstances, US blogger Richard Silverstein (Tikun Olam) followed in tandem with the censored information, starting on the very same day, providing the name and photo of Tomer Eiges. [ivv]
https://twitter.com/yanivkub/status/1400171727284588544?s=20
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The report described a "once in a generation talent", who at age 17 graduated university with a degree in computer science, worked in a high tech company while still in high school, according to colleagues was dedicated to his work, made tremendous contributions, had incredible capacity in his field, was an idealist, helpful and friendly... It further detailed that the unnamed officer had been detained for 9 months, following indictment (but with no trial), that he was found in a serious condition in his cell two weeks earlier, that he died in a hospital, and that all details pertaining to his identity, indictment and confinement were under strict, far-reaching gag orders.
On June 03, following rumors that the officer was charged with espionage, it was permitted to further disclose that such was not the case.
June 03, 2021, Haaretz daily: "IDF intelligence officer, who was detained and died, was not charged with espionage, treason, or contacts with foreign agents." The picture shows the mound on the fresh grave, with the name on the sign redacted.
https://twitter.com/Haaretz/status/1400499033714532359?s=20
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On the same day, Haaretz daily also published an unusual editorial demanding that IDF disclose the circumstances of the officer's death. [vi]
The Israeli kingdom of secrets, alternatively involving Shin Bet, IDF, Police, or the Mossad, but always the prosecution and the judges - continues its habitual tortuous conduct. Again and again it repeats the same mistakes by imposing far-reaching gag order... at times to hide the errors and failures of the state... We must not let this stand...
Also on June 03, Richard Silverstein published a report, titled "IDF Cyber-Intelligence Analyst, Tomer Eiges, Dies in Military Prison, Family: “A Crime Took Place”". The Silverstein report debunked the official "suicide narrative. [vii] He further stated that Eiges's parents were intimidated into signing total confidentiality agreement, and that Eiges was not permitted to retain his own counsel, and instead was compelled to rely on IDF counsel.
A follow-up report on June 05, "IDF Lies About Espionage Charges Against Tomer Eiges, cyber-intelligence Officer Who Died in Military Prison", again challenged the official narrative. [viii]
Last night, June 06, Haaretz military analyst Yossi Melman published "Return of Prisoner X and another failure of the Defense Department in handling a crisis." [ix] The report opined that the affair reflected an attempt to hide the state's failures, and that the Defense Department failed to realize that when such far-reaching, all encompassing gag orders were issued, a rumor mill was created. Melman's report further accused the Defense Department that with help from the courts, false insinuations of espionage had been made, and that the family was terrorized and denied any details of the officer's death.
The Prisoner X reference is to the 2010 suicide of Mossad agent Ben Zygier under similar circumstances. [x]
Suspicions of wrongdoing
The most damning report was published on June 06 by alternative media outlet "The hottest place in hell". [xi] The report again notes that Eiges was an especially gifted young men, but notes that he was considered naive and emotionally immature. It states that the prosecution sought a sentence of over 10 year prison term, which would have been compatible with serious charges of espionage or "providing secret information to others". Attempts had been made to negotiate a plea bargain, in order to avoid a court trial... It also notes that on May 15 Eiges talked by phone with his family and appeared in good mood, asking them to send him clothes, shampoo, and some treats. The report further details that autopsy failed to discover the cause of death, but negated strangulation, heart attack or needle pricks. However, toxicological examination had not been completed...
The report notes, as do other reports, that Eiges had been held in solitary confinement for 9 months. Such long term solitary confinement is considered torture. However, "on the night of his death... he dined with the rest of the detainees. It remained unclear why on that particular occasion he was permitted to dine in the mess hall, since during the duration of his confinement he dined in his cell... His foaming at the mouth in his cell at night led the guards to call for help."
Foaming at the mouth is a typical sign of opiate overdose poisoning, for example...
Unit 8200 and its discontents
According to Silverstein, Eiges served as as an officer in Unit 8200, IDF's SIGINT (signals intelligence) unit, as a cyber-security officer. Unit 8200 is one of IDF's claims to fame and also one of its most secretive units. [xii] Unit 8200 has its dark side as well. The unit engages, among other tasks, in totalitarian surveillance of all in Israel and the Palestinian territories. Of note, Unit 8200 was employed, together with Shin Bet, in a vain attempts to combat the Covid-19 epidemic by cutting transmission chains. [xiii] Therefore, during the epidemic, most of the Israeli public for the first time realized that they were living under a digital-totalitarian regime...
Anybody who followed the news, figured that out much earlier: In 2014, Unit 8200 gained international infamy, when a group of over 40 active reserve soldiers and officers signed a public letter to Netanyahu and military chiefs, declaring their conscientious objection to further engage in surveillance of Palestinians. The letter exposed systematic abuse of innocent Palestinians, conduct which is typically associated with the most repressive dictators and police states… [xiv] Earlier, in 2003, another case was published, of a Unit 8200 officer, who declared his conscientious objection and refused to cooperate with providing targets for air bombing in the Palestinian territories, since such bombing would have led to the killing of innocent people. [xv]
On the other hand, in 2016 it was exposed the dozens of Unit 8200 officer hacked into the IDF human resources IT systems and scheduled for themselves hotel vacations. Their conduct appeared criminal on its face, but eventually they were not held accountable, for fear that they would leave the military en masse. [xvi]
Cyber activists are targeted for special punishment...
Tomer Eiges's case immediately reminds one of the cases of Ed Snowden and Aaron Swartz. In both cases, the US justice system applied vengeance, leading to Snowden's escape to Russia and to Swartz's suicide... Eiges's long term solitary confinement also reminds one of the fate of Julian Assange...
Long-term pre-trial detention, such as in Eiges's case is practically unheard of in Israel, even in the cases of organized crime top figures. The exception was in the case of blogger Lori Shem-Tov. There too, it was a case of vengeance by the state. [xvii]
Of note, all four persons - Snowden, Swartz, Assange and Shem-Tov were involved in the cyber field one way or another...
What caused Eiges's harsh punishment?
Beyond Eiges's extreme punishment by long-term solitary confinement, news reports indicated that the Israeli authorities were systematically working to erase his existence from public platforms such as social networks... an unusual and inexplicable treatment...
In view of all the above, it is almost beyond any doubt that the affair originated in some cyber incidents related to extremely secretive matter. Two main lines of speculation can be inferred. First, non-ideological cyber-security breach: It is possible that Eiges, in his capacity as a cyber-security officer, or otherwise, hacked into some Israeli government site, which he should have never hacked into... Thereby he was exposed to some state secrets, and was therefore transformed into a security threat, or even an enemy of the state, which required total isolation or worse... Second, ideological cyber-security breach: It is possible that Eiges, in his capacity as a cyber-security officer, or otherwise, hacked into some Israeli government sites and deliberately interfered with their functions out of ideological motives.
In both cases, if foul play is speculated as the cause of death, it could have resulted from the realization that it would be practically impossible to hold him incommunicado for ever, and the case a total secret as the state wished, given his young age, his family and friends, the nature of the state of Israel, and today's internet information flow reality.
Transformation of the Israeli public
The case of Tomer Eiges is exceptional in view of public response. In previous cases, such as the suicide of Ben Zygier, media expressed concern, as well as the Association for Civil Rights in Israel [ACRI]: [xviii]
ACRI Legal Counsel, Attorney Dan Yakir, "Even in cases, where there is justification for gag orders and for trial behind closed doors, one cannot accept secret detentions and secret trials in a democratic state. The courts must not act as rubber stamps for requests by the security apparatus. They must employ independent discretion, protect the public's right to know, and permit at least minimal public scrutiny of the proceedings. The authorities in general and the security apparatus in particular tend to hide their failures and negligence, and the courts should guarantee that claims of harm to state security would not be abused. Regretfully, such was not the courts' conduct in this case.
The same can be said of course in Tomer Eiges's case. However, in this case, the moment significant details were disclosed, public protest erupted. Not surprisingly, the organizers of the the protest, scheduled for this evening, largely overlap with those who were active in the protests against the Netanyahu government in recent years. The revelations regarding corruption of the Netanyahu government and the justice system led to transformation in public opinion, particularly among the younger generation. [xix] It can be summed as "loss of innocence" regarding state and its institutions.
Even more surprising was an obituary notice by Tomer Eiges's father colleagues. It turned out that the father worked at Rafael (military industry). The obituary notice stated that his colleagues were ready to stand by the family in whatever protest they wished to engage in...
LINKS
i Department of Justice filed a motion for an urgent court hearing tomorrow morning in the officer affair, Maariv, June 06, 2021
ii Or Heller, Twitter, June 06, 2021
https://twitter.com/OrHeller/status/1401626068902162436?s=20
iii Yaniv Kubovich, Intelligence officer was detained, indicted of search charges, died under gag ordered circumstances, Haaretz, June 01, 2021
iv Tikun Olam (blog), Wikipedia
v Richard Silverstein, BREAKING: IDF Intelligence Officer, Tomer Eiges, Accused of Espionage, Commits Suicide, Tikun, June 01, 2021
vi Editorial, Circumstances of the officer's death should be exposed, Haaertz, June 03, 2021
https://www.haaretz.co.il/opinions/editorial-articles/.premium-1.9868641
vii Richard Silverstein, IDF Cyber-Intelligence Analyst, Tomer Eiges, Dies in Military Prison
Family: “A Crime Took Place”, Tikun, June 03, 2021
viii Richard Silverstein, "IDF Lies About Espionage Charges Against Tomer Eiges, Cyber-intelligence Officer Who Died in Military Prison", Tikun, June 05, 2021
ix Yossi Melman, Return of Prisoner X and another failure of the Defense Department in handling a crisis, Haaretz, June 06, 2021
https://www.haaretz.co.il/blogs/yossimelman/BLOG-.premium-1.9878325
xDeath of Ben Zygier, Wikipedia
xi Galit Hareli, In the middle of the day, on his electric scooter in Tel-Aviv, intelligence officer was detained and taken into a car", Hottest Place in Hell, June 06, 2021
xii Geoffrey Ingersoll, Best Tech School Is Israel's Unit 8200, Business Insider, August 13, 2013
https://www.businessinsider.com/best-tech-school-is-israels-unit-8200-2013-8
xiii Uri Berkovich, Secretive Intelligence Corps unit was recruited for fighting Corona, Globes, April 17, 2020
xiv Peter Beaumont, Israeli intelligence veterans refuse to serve in Palestinian territories, Guardian/UK, September 12, 2014
Israeli intelligence veterans' letter to Netanyahu and military chiefs - in full, Guardian/UK,September 12, 2014
Natan Sachs, Israeli Intelligence Veterans Refusal Letter, Brookings Institute, September 12, 2014
https://www.brookings.edu/blog/markaz/2014/09/12/israeli-intelligence-veterans-refusal-letter/
xv Amos Harel, In 8200 the conscientious objector is praised for his morals, but criticized for his conduct, Haaretz, January 30, 2003
xvi Yossi Yehoshua, The big vacation sting, Yediot, March 24, 2016
https://yedioth.ynet.co.il/articles/0,7340,L-4782513,00.html
xvii Joseph Zernik, Court observers scuttle Israeli judge's attempt to hold a closed doors hearing in protesters' criminal prosecution, OpEdNews.com May 05, 2017
Joseph Zernik, Israel: The bloggers and the vengeful judges, OpEdNews.com, October 04, 2017
Joseph Zernik, LORI SHEM-TOV: Blogger detained for 21 months in Israel, OpEdNews.com, November 26, 2018
xviii Overview of proceedings initiated by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel regarding gag-orders pertaining to Prisoner X, ACRI, February 20, 2013
xix Joseph Zernik, Israel - the regime has been transformed into a criminal parody, OpEdNews.com, March 29, 2020
Joseph Zernik, "Not every regime succumbs to Corona, but Israel's is in the high-risk group", OpEdNews.com, March 20, 2020
Joseph Zernik, Sex, bribes and recordings rocking the Israeli justice system, OpEdNews.com, December 27, 2019
Joseph Zernik, "Whorehouse in the Judicial Appointment Committee" in Israel, OpEdNews.com, July 13, 2019
Joseph Zernik, Government corruption in Israel: "A house bearing a steel shield, eaten by termites from the inside"..., OpEdNews.com, July 03, 2019
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