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On April 11, Haaretz writer Ofra Edelman headlined, "Ex-soldier charged with espionage for leaking documents to Haaretz," saying:
"Among the materials Kam allegedly transferred to (Uri Blau) were (more than 2,000) files showing that high-ranking Israel Defense Forces officers had approved targeted assassinations of wanted Palestinians who could have instead been detained," violating a Supreme Court order.
Uri Blau's Expose
Kam's documents provided the basis for Blau's December 4, 2008 Haaretz article headlined, "License to Kill," revealing IDF Central Command-ordered targeted killings of two alleged terrorists - Ziad Subahi Mahmad Malaisha and Ibrahim Ahmed Abd al-Latif Abed in violation of a High Court ruling. Further "the most senior IDF echelons approve(d), in advance and in writing, the harming of innocent Palestinians during the course of the assassination operations."
According to B'Tselem, IDF assassins killed 232 Palestinians from October 2000 - October 2008, and another 154 non-targeted civilians coincidentally. The common code names used are Pa'amon (preventive action) and Sakum (targeted assassination). When carried out, official reports say these were "arrest operations (or) exchanges of fire," force having been authorized to intercept and kill.
Involved was IDF Central Command head, General Yair Naveh, in whose bureau Kam worked as a clerk, then later as assistant bureau head. Authorizing the assassinations, he said the target "leads a 'ticking' infrastructure and meets the required criteria for a preventive strike." Another meeting in his office with General Sami Turjeman, head of the Operations Directorate, ordered "no more than five people" to be killed, the other three, of course, innocent civilians.
The next day, Chief of Staff Gabi Ashkenazi approved it, ordering only that it be done on a different date in light of planned diplomatic meetings at the time.
On December 14, 2006, High Court President, Justice Aharon Barak, ruled that well-founded information is necessary to say civilians intend hostile acts, and no one should be assassinated or harmed in lieu of nonviolent workable alternatives. "In other words, a person should not be assassinated if it is possible to arrest him, interrogate and indict him."
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