RAMALLAH, West Bank, 24 November 2007 — The Tel Aviv District Court yesterday indicted a military officer in the Israeli reserves over espionage charges for offering classified information to Iran, Russia and Hamas, Israeli police announced. David Shamir, a psychiatric doctor, confessed to the charges which also stated he asked for money in return for his services.
He was arrested by the Shin Bet (Israel intelligence agency) in cooperation with the Israeli Police’s Serious and International Crimes Unit on Nov. 14, the police said. Shamir has been charged with contacting a foreign agent and obstruction of justice.
According to the indictment, Shamir, 45, was exposed to classified information during his service as an Israeli forces reservist, including the Medical Corps’ emergency plans, the manner of Israeli forces medical teams’ deployment, the situation of their command centers and programs for evacuating civilians during missile attacks.
The indictment asserts that “in April 2007, Shamir decided to provide information to hostile entities in exchange for money and he contacted the Iranian Foreign Ministry by electronic mail.” He allegedly introduced himself in the mail as a civilian and an Israeli officer “well tuned in to what goes on in Israel.”
Police said that under questioning, Shamir confessed that he told the Iranians he had widespread contacts with Israeli public figures and Israeli companies including those with security clearances. In addition, it is alleged that in August 2007, Shamir sent faxes from his home to the Iranian consulates in London and Turkey and, about a month ago, after receiving no responses, he faxed them again in October 2007.
Meanwhile, Hamas urged Arab countries yesterday not to normalize relations with Israel after their foreign ministers announced they would attend a US-hosted peace conference next week. “Hamas calls on Arab countries to prevent concessions and not to normalize relations with Israel as well as to lift the siege and work in the interests of the Palestinian cause,” spokesman Ayman Taha told Agence France Presse in Gaza City.
“We hope that Arab countries will not participate in the conference, as such a presence will allow a normalization with Israel for free and will increase its (Israel’s) aggressions” against the Palestinians.
