Proposed: Critical Security Information Reporting Law to the Political
Echelon, 2024
Dr. Aaron Lerner 17 November 2024

Background:

The Israeli security establishment provides that anyone in a security
branch, IDF, Mossad, etc., is able to reach out to the head of their
respective branch to communicate vital information they believe is not be
relayed through the formal chain of command.

There is no arrangement for someone in a security branch to relay such vital
information to the Prime Minister or the Minister of Defense if the head of
their respective security branch opts not to share this information.

Recent developments have demonstrated that this is not a theoretical
problem.

The following is the wording of a proposed law to address this critical
flaw:

Critical Security Information Reporting Law to the Political Echelon, 2024

1. Purpose:

This law is designed to allow any individual within the security
establishment to report critical information directly to the political
echelon in exceptional cases where there is a well-founded concern that the
information has not been transmitted for non-objective reasons. The law
ensures the reporting individual's right to act, while preserving the
security system's ability to assess the impact of the action on their career
within the system.

2. Definitions:

1. Critical Information: Information of significant importance
to national security or human life, where failure to transmit such
information could cause serious harm.
2. Political Echelon: The Prime Minister, Minister of Defense,
or their designated representatives.
3. Reporter: Any soldier, officer, or employee of the security
establishment who holds critical information and believes it has not been
properly conveyed to the political echelon.

3. Right to Report:

1. Any reporter has the right to directly transmit critical
information to the political echelon if the following conditions are met:
. The information pertains to an immediate threat or a
strategically significant matter.
. The reporter has attempted to transmit the information
through the chain of command but was unsuccessful, or there is a
well-founded concern that the information has been withheld for
non-objective reasons.

4. Reporting Procedure:

1. The reporter must provide written notice to their immediate
superior or another appropriate senior official of their intention to
transmit the information to the political echelon.
2. The reporter must act with full transparency within the
system and provide a copy of the information to their superior.

5. Consequences of Reporting:

1. Responsibility of the Reporter:
. The reporter will bear full responsibility for the accuracy
and implications of the information reported.
. The system retains the right to consider the impact of the
reporting on the reporter's career or advancement within the organization.
2. Limited Protection:
. The reporter will not automatically be protected from
internal organizational consequences (such as impact on career progression)
but will be immune from criminal or administrative penalties.
3. Confidentiality:
. The information will remain confidential and will only be
transmitted to the authorized political echelon.

6. Applicability:

This law applies to all security and intelligence units, including the IDF,
Shin Bet, and Mossad.

7. Regulations:

The Minister of Defense, in coordination with the Chief of Staff, is
authorized to establish regulations for the implementation of this law,
including defining reporting procedures and information transfer protocols.

Summary:

This law enables reporters to transmit critical information directly to the
political echelon in exceptional cases but does not provide immunity from
internal organizational consequences. It maintains the balance between the
right to report and the system's authority to manage the implications on the
reporter's career.

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IMRA - Independent Media Review and Analysis

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Arab-Israeli relations

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