Following a joint investigation involving the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) and military police, a criminal indictment was filed against soldier Elad Sela in the Jaffa Military Court on Monday, 24 Nissan. Sela stands accused of espionage and disclosure of classified information, alleging he provided right-wing activists with classified information pertaining to IDF movements and operations. Due to the severity of the charges, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein had to sign off agreeing to the indictment, which he did.

The indictment alleges that Elad repeatedly took advantage of the fact that he was privy to classified information, which he passed along and thereby betrayed the trust placed in him by the IDF and the state.

Defense attorney Adi Kedar of Honenu feels that charging a soldier who passed information to residents of yishuvim with espionage clearly signals the facts in the case are being blown way out of proportion. He pointed out the residents of Yehuda and Shomron are not the enemy, adding that a Druse soldier recently convicted of passing information on IDF activities along the northern border to the enemy faced less serious charges. Kedar also cited the case of Anat Kam, who released thousands of classified papers to the media, information that assisted the enemy, “yet she was treated with silk gloves” he explained. He warns that portraying settlers as the enemy of Israel is troublesome and worrisome.

Sela, 25, is a resident of the Gush Etzion community of Bat Ayin. He is a private serving in his compulsory service, attached to the chareidi Shachar program. He was arrested a number of weeks ago and he admitted during interrogation that he passed information to colleagues on dozens of occasions. Information that he passed along included planned actions against PA (Palestinian Authority) residents and terrorists as well as scheduled arrests of Jewish activists suspected of law-breaking.

Two weeks ago Sela was hospitalized in Beilinson Hospital in Petach Tikvah after complaining of chest pain. He has to undergo surgery for a hiatus hernia. His family accuses his poor physical and psychological treatment and conditions to the deterioration in his condition.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)