Gov't allows IDF Intelligence to receive information on civilians – report

The approval, a "general permit for information disclosure," will allow the IDF Intelligence Directorate to receive any information that the Tax Authority may have, on every single citizen.

By TOBIAS SIEGAL
IDF recruits at the Military Intelligence language school (photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
IDF recruits at the Military Intelligence language school
(photo credit: IDF SPOKESPERSON'S UNIT)
The government approved for the IDF Intelligence Directorate to receive sensitive information on Israeli citizens from the Israel Tax Authority, according to a report by Haaretz.
The approval, a "general permit for information disclosure," will allow the IDF Intelligence Directorate to receive any information that the Tax Authority may have, on every single citizen – and for any purpose, the report stated.
The decision, signed by Israel Tax Authority director-general Eran Yaacov, states that he "hereby allows employees of the Israel Tax Authority to share with head of the IDF Intelligence Directorate, or to those who were authorized by him, information that they may have, and which is required by the Intelligence Directorate."
The step raised many dilemmas among IDF officers involved, according to Haaretz, regarding the level of invasion into the privacy of citizens, considering the directorate's original purpose of gathering information on the enemy.
The IDF has reportedly been trying to find the appropriate balance between assisting the national effort of combating the coronavirus and utilizing its full capabilities, which include technological means of gathering information and invading privacy in ways that are unfamiliar to the public.
Brig.-Gen. Dror Shalom, head of IDF Intelligence Research Division, speaking in a recent online conference on national/civilian intelligence organized by the Intelligence Heritage Center, said that "the major challenge in integrating IDF intelligence in the fight against the coronavirus relates to issues of ethics."
"A national entity is needed, not a military one," Shalom said during the conference, "one that will know how to leverage Israel's technological advantages – which don't only exist in the Intelligence Directorate – during national crises such as the one we're currently experiencing."
Military intelligence, according to Shalom, "can't deal with all issues that decision-makers are responsible for."
"Thus," Shalom stated, "we need an entity that will handle strategic-national issues that are not solely security-related, such as climate, economy, energy, infrastructure, refugees and borders."
The Israel Tax Authority told Haaretz that the decision was made in accordance with the authority provided to its director-general, and joins several similar, special permits provided to entities in the defense establishment – including, among others, Israel's Shin Bet Security Agency (given in June 2000) and the Mossad (given in August 2014.)  

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"Having considering these, the latest approval does not change much," a statement by the Tax Authority added.
The IDF Spokesperson's Unit added that the information will only be used for protecting the country's security and that no personal information on Israeli citizens will be provided. The statement didn't mention what kind of information will be provided as part of the permit, however.


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