The media squeeze on Israel is tightening as Australia has officially opened an investigation into the case surrounding the death of Ben Zygier, the Australian national enlisted by the Mossad who reportedly hanged himself in an Israeli isolation cell.

The news of the reported suicide in a high security suicide watch cell in Israel in December 2010 has resulted in a media explosion and appears to be heading towards a diplomatic crisis between Israel and Australia.

Addressing the media at the opening of the weekly cabinet meeting on Sunday 7 Adar 5773, Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu stressed Israel’s commitment to democratic values but due to the “increased threats” facing Israel, extreme steps are needed at times to protect state security.

Despite his oratory skills, the prime minister failed to persuade the media in Israel or Australia, and state officials in Australia appear to be moving ahead towards a high-level intelligence community investigation into the matter.

Channel 10 News in Israel reported on Sunday night that Australia’s Jewish community is quite angry over the affair, but is by and large maintaining a media silence at present. This includes the Zygier family in Australia, which Channel 10 speculates is waiting for an official announcement from their country’s foreign minister regarding an official state investigation.

One Australian Jew, Naomi Blum told Channel 10 that the Australian Jewish community is quite Zionist and would do almost anything to protect Israel. She added that when the news of the Zygier case broke, it was the kind of thing people discussed around the Shabbos table but it was kept internal.

One Jewish journalist in Australia spoke of a “sickness or pathological reluctance” not to criticize Israel publically.

Channel 10 wisely points out the Australian investigation is not exclusively about the death of one of their nationals, but more significantly towards assessing the status of Israeli Australian relations and cooperation between intelligence agencies in the two countries. Journalist Baruch Kra confirms there is already an Israeli report addressing the entire matter. Channel 10 has turned to the courts to have the ban on publishing the report removed and the court is expected to respond in the coming days.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)