
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett and Mossad chief David Barnea issued a joint statement following an article in Haaretz in which it was claimed that former Bennett diplomatic adviser Shimrit Meir leaked a secret Mossad operation to the media.
The two state that "the head of the Mossad never accused Shimrit Meir, or anyone else close to former Prime Minister Bennett, of the leak, and never asked Prime Minister Bennett to conduct any investigation regarding the action in question. On the contrary, the head of the Mossad, in coordination with the Prime Minister, worked to outsource the operation for necessary operational reasons.''
"This article is complete nonsense. Bennett did not instruct Shimrit Meir to leak any information about the operation to any media outlet. Shimrit Meir did not leak information about the operation. The head of the Mossad did not contact the Prime Minister to investigate. All of Shimrit Meir's actions during her tenure as Prime Minister Bennett's senior advisor were done at his full discretion and at his request, and she contributed greatly to the political and security successes of the Bennett government.
Bennett accused two of his senior advisers who left their positions in his office shortly before the government disbanded of being behind the accusation against Meir, but did not name them. "The Prime Minister is amazed by the collection of gossip in this article that originates from two disgruntled advisers who regrettably did not devote more of their time to the important work they were entrusted with and not to jealousy, gossip and bureau fights. It's a shame that the Haaretz newspaper chooses to misogynistically harm the advisor whose only sin was that she acted professionally for Prime Minister Bennett and in the interests of Israeli.'
Bennett complimented Meir: "Shimrit Meir was an excellent political advisor who helped Prime Minister Bennett bring about the significant achievements, including: preventing the removal of the Revolutionary Guards from the list of terrorist organizations; building a close relationship with the Biden Administration; Returning security to the Gaza periphery after 15 years of rockets; preventing the opening of an American consulate for the Palestinians in Jerusalem; building a network of relations and a system of alliances with Arab countries and more. Her contribution is reflected both in advising the Prime Minister and in the actual execution of operations in front of officials in the US, Europe and a host of Arab countries.''
The unusual statement was issued in response to an article by Haaretz accusing Meir of leaking the details of a Mossad operation she was not supposed to know about.
Meir said in response to the report: "Everything described regarding the operation of the Mossad is fundamentally false. I did not leak and I would not have thought of leaking such a sensitive operation. My general opinion on leaks and bragging about Iran is known. There was no action I took in my position that was not with the approval or request of Prime Minister at the time Naftali Bennett, and he did not ask me for such a thing. Any involvement of my name in this matter is completely false and a lie."
"There was no conflict in the office, I had nothing against anyone. It was one-sided bullying, and that won out - I resigned... I recommend that the tireless leakers and also the writer to get a life for themselves and let this obsession go. It's summer outside," Meir said.