We already knew anti-Israel blogger Richard Silverstein was a despicable person.
How despicable? He’ll even sell out those who share his ideology in order to satisfy his ego .
Case in point: In a recent post about entertainment journalist Anat Kam, supposedly detained by the Shin Bet for leaking top-secret IDF memos, Silverstein admits he had previously taken down the post pursuant to a request by Kam’s attorney and friends “not to publicize her case.” But he’s so hell bent on posting about it anyway (possibly because he seems so proud of the fact he is “the first blogger or journalist to report this story outside Israel”) , he places the onus on her attorney to write back to him and confirm they do not want the story publicized. And when Silverstein doesn’t receive a response fast enough to his liking , he goes ahead and republishes his post.
http://ow.ly/1oTET
NOTE: On March 14th, I was the first blogger or journalist to report this story outside Israel. Subsequently, an Israeli peace activist informed me that Anat Kam’s attorney and friends have asked others not to publicize her case. In honor of that, I decided to take down this post as I did not wish to harm her defense. I wrote to Kam’s attorney, Avigdor Feldman, and asked him to confirm that he did not wish any public discussion of her case. He has not replied. For that reason, I have decided to repost this story with some amplifications and editing to reflect new information I’ve learned.
In his latest post on the subject, Silverstein begins with the fact of which he is obviously so proud, and what is likely his motivation for going against Kam’s wishes.
http://ow.ly/1oTRW
This blog was the first English-language source which reported that Israeli journalist Anat Kam was secretly arrested by the Israeli police for allegedly leaking top secret IDF memos describing the army’s flagrant disregard for an Israeli Supreme Court ruling.
He must be so proud!
Silverstein then continues to describe how other sites have acceded to Kam’s wishes- so she can increase her chances of getting off with no jail time.
After I read every Hebrew source about this affair and wrote my own post, a number of these sources disappeared. It turns out that Anat Kam herself and others on the Israeli left have urged those who have published to remove their material. Indymedia Israel did this (see cached version). Kam asked the Hebrew Wikipedia to remove the article about her and it did. As a member wrote quite sensibly (in Hebrew) in response:
If Shimon Peres told you to remove his Wikipedia article, would you?
For a few days I also did so after an Israeli peace activist told me that Kam was negotiating with the Shin Bet and hoped if little was made of this affair that she might get off with no jail time. I took my post down. Then I wrote to Avigdor Feldman asking him to confirm that he wished me to do so. I never received a reply. I republished my post.
Silverstein then urges others to follow his lead.
So I’d recommend that those on the Israeli left who’ve cooperated with the wall of silence reconsider their decisions. I continue to believe that silence doesn’t serve the greater good of Israeli democracy. I don’t even believe it serves Anat Kam’s interests, but as she herself says, that’s for her to determine.
In other words, Screw Anat Kam. Sure, she might no go to jail, but I’m going to be the first English-language source of this story.
As a famous duck once said, “You’re despicable!”
