In an interview with Army Radio last night, Knesset Security Officer Yitzchak Shadar said, "There are no threats on the Knesset or Knesset Members by the right-wing." The continued coverage of this issue of threatening letters is unnecessary and not interesting, Shadar said, and itself could lead crazies to take action.
Shadar is a former agent of the Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence agency, and "the full story of his exploits will only be able to be told many years from now," the Army Radio interviewer said.
"I am of the opinion," Shadar said, "that, aside from one or two MKs, there is simply too much protection inside the Knesset. We need fewer bodyguards... and certainly we don't have to add more. I also think that not every public figure needs protection; only those who are considered symbols of the regime, or those who have been threatened or are understood to be under threat."
Army Radio asked, "What is the source of the main threats against the Knesset and MKs? Is it from Arab terror, the extreme right-wing, criminal elements, or other?" Shadar answered, "The main threat is still from hostile enemy terrorist action. The others are not full-fledged threats, but rather disturbances and the like. Of course, I have to be ready for everything..."
Asked if he agrees with the picture presented by the media over the past few weeks of a wave of threats and the like, Shadar said, "No, for me the picture is much more moderate. The picture that has been presented is exaggerated, and this sometimes serves certain elements. It certainly doesn't serve my interests or those of Knesset security. I am less concerned by those who write letters, and much more concerned about those for whom this coverage will spark something within them to take action..."
"I don't want to blame the media," Shadar continued, "but I think that the media play no small role in this issue, by always running after these letters, and always asking who received a letter, and how much protection there is, and the like. I get phone calls asking who is protected, and with how many guards, etc. It's really not important, and not even interesting."
Shadar is a former agent of the Mossad, Israel's foreign intelligence agency, and "the full story of his exploits will only be able to be told many years from now," the Army Radio interviewer said.
"I am of the opinion," Shadar said, "that, aside from one or two MKs, there is simply too much protection inside the Knesset. We need fewer bodyguards... and certainly we don't have to add more. I also think that not every public figure needs protection; only those who are considered symbols of the regime, or those who have been threatened or are understood to be under threat."
Army Radio asked, "What is the source of the main threats against the Knesset and MKs? Is it from Arab terror, the extreme right-wing, criminal elements, or other?" Shadar answered, "The main threat is still from hostile enemy terrorist action. The others are not full-fledged threats, but rather disturbances and the like. Of course, I have to be ready for everything..."
Asked if he agrees with the picture presented by the media over the past few weeks of a wave of threats and the like, Shadar said, "No, for me the picture is much more moderate. The picture that has been presented is exaggerated, and this sometimes serves certain elements. It certainly doesn't serve my interests or those of Knesset security. I am less concerned by those who write letters, and much more concerned about those for whom this coverage will spark something within them to take action..."
"I don't want to blame the media," Shadar continued, "but I think that the media play no small role in this issue, by always running after these letters, and always asking who received a letter, and how much protection there is, and the like. I get phone calls asking who is protected, and with how many guards, etc. It's really not important, and not even interesting."