2 thoughts on “Cozy Relationship Between Israeli Judiciary, Military Facilitates Gag Orders, Other Free Speech Violations – Tikun Olam תיקון עולם إصلاح العالم
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  1. Richard, I really feel I have to take issue with what you keep asking of the Israeli media to do. There are two very good reasons why Israeli bloggers and mainstream papers haven’t broken the full story yet: The gag order is being upheld by Anat herself; and there’s a court hearing on April 12 that will in all likelihood result in removal of the gag order regardless of Anat’s position.
    Considering the insane punishments Israeli papers and journalists can face for violating the law (hefty fines; closure of publications; prison sentences for journalists, publishers and editors), it’s absolutely reasonable and not remotely cowardly to actively pursue the legal channels first! If the court upholds the gag, /then/ it will be incumbent on the media to defy the order, but before that, what you’re asking us to do is to commit collective suicide /before/ trying even the most basic remedy.
    Besides, right now the censorship is just upping the hype – as evidenced by the very daring Yedioth move.

  2. Dimi is right, Richard. But the Israeli press could have made more noise earlier a la the Yediot censored page.

    By the way, you made the NY Times big time.

    http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/07/world/middleeast/07israel.html

    The quesition we should all consider is whether the Israeli bloggers helped or hurt Anat by not coming out sooner with details. I know that she requested not to, or that may be her lawyer’s advice. But it is clear that this was pressure that may not have worked to her advantage. This is a conversation that Israeli bloggers should have in the future.

    Anyway, apparently Israeli Facebooks posters still enjoy immunity, on the grounds that the Facebook servers are outside of Israel!

    All this has been a great embarrassment to Israel. Keep up the good work.

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