Responding to the revelations that its reporter, Uri Blau, had used information allegedly stolen by Anat Kam from the IDF Central Command for its reporting, Ha'aretz said Thursday that all the articles published had been approved by the IDF censor. In September 2009, the paper said, Blau was questioned by the Shin Bet, which demanded he hand over the documents he used in his reports. The paper negotiated on his behalf, and an agreement was signed with the Shin Bet, in which Blau sent the agency dozens of documents, and in return the Shin Bet agreed not to question Blau on his sources or to use the documents as evidence against him. Blau was also asked to submit his personal computer for examination, and he agreed to do so as well, the paper said.
Now, Ha'aretz said, with the arrest of Kam, Blau is also being sought for questioning, violating the deal between the reporter and the Shin Bet, the paper said. In response, the Shin Bet said that Blau still had hundreds of security documents, and that he was the one in violation of the agreement. Blau is currently in London, in order to avoid arrest in Israel.