Join Avner Cohen and I Monday (tomorrow) for an online Zoom discussion of the life and tragic death of Tomer Eiges.
Last month, a 25 year old brilliant IDF cyber-intelligence officer died in his military prison cell. He’d been accused by the Shin Bet of espionage, threatened with a 10 year prison sentence, and kept in prison nine months without trial. During that time he was allowed limited, short meetings with his parents, who couldn’t even tell his siblings what had happened to him. He suffered from depression. He may have taken a drug overdose. But the army refuses to release the toxicological findings. The story is currently under military censorship because it is tremendously embarrassing to the army.
His name was Tomer Eiges. I broke the story and censorship, being the first journalist to report his name, rank and military unit. I also consulted sources close to the family who helped offer theories about why he was arrested and why he might have been driven to suicide by his predicament. Avner Cohen and I co-authored a blog post here detailing some of those ideas.
Tomorrow, he and I will host an online discussion of our findings. We hope that as many Israelis as possible (and anyone interested in the transgressions of the Israeli national security state) will join us at 11am Pacific (9pm Israel time) on Zoom (click on link to join the audience).
Richard, please speak with less confidence. First you said it was definitely a suicide, then changed it to Russian assassination, then now to a slightly-less confident thought about drug overdose. Your journalistic work is important, but the gusto you sometimes exhibit makes it teeter between (important) journalism, sensationalism, and sheer tin-foil-hat blogging.
@ Noa: Please don’t bother to give me advice or lecture. I reported what my sources told me at the time. The Russian connection story was false as I reported afterward. Every other report was accurate and has not been disproven. If you’re able to do so, be my guest.
And drop the concern trolling offering praise while slamming my work. It’s unpersuasive.
Richard’s posting a pic of Tomer’s unadorned gravesite went beyond sensationalism. It was, in fact, cruelty.
Amnon: That picture came from an Israeli media website and it’s been posted widely in other media sites as well. Take it up with them if it bothers you so much. You want to know what cruelty is? Imprisoning a man for 9 months without trial. Killing his spirit. Prohibiting his parents from visiting him at all for mnonths, and then only permitting 20 minute visits. Destroying a boy’s future–now that’s cruelty. So cut the bullshit and your fake tears about the picture.
[comment deleted: I know you think you’re the wittiest person in the world. But your snark is not witty. Nor is it on-topic. COnsider yourself warned: respect the comment rules (and read them) or your next one that violates them could lead to moderation.]
Actually, I thought her comments were very witty, pertinent, and entirely within the comment rules. If you resent comments that make you feel uncomfortable, amend your rules.
@ Shamnluk: Ask me whether I care what you think. You ain’t the boss of me. I made the comment rules and you’re going to tell me what they mean?
Missed the Zoom session. Is there a recording?
If you insist on a hybrid caption, who about HY”D?