Shin Bet officer petitions High Court against Knesset decision to grant Gotliv immunity

An anonymous Shin Bet officer has petitioned Israel's High Court of Justice, challenging the Knesset's decision to grant lawmaker Tally Gotliv immunity from criminal prosecution. The officer argues the vote was legally flawed, politically predetermined, and poses a danger to Israel's security services.

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the Knesset’s decision to grant her immunity from criminal prosecution, arguing that the vote was legally flawed, politically predetermined, and dangerous to Israel’s security services.

The petition was filed shortly after the Knesset plenum approved Gotliv's immunity request, preventing an indictment approved by Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara. The charges stemmed from Gotliv's alleged disclosure and publication of confidential information, violating the Shin Bet law. The Knesset approved Gotliv's claims that her actions were part of her work as a member of Knesset and that the indictment was filed in bad faith.

The petitioner, who served over two decades as a Shin Bet officer, claims Gotliv repeatedly published his classified identity starting in January 2024. He alleges she linked him to false conspiracy theories surrounding the October 7 massacre and protest leader Shikma Bressler. The petition states that security and law enforcement authorities determined these publications endangered the officer and his family, harmed Shin Bet operational freedom, and damaged the protection of sensitive classified information.

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the Knesset had turned immunity into a shelter for a security offense.

Attorneys for the petitioner stated that the Knesset's decision sends a message that security and intelligence service members are abandoned when their exposure serves political interests. They argued that the Knesset has transformed immunity into a shield for security offenses, signaling to secret service members that their lives could become vulnerable for momentary political gain. Gotliv has not denied exposing the officer's identity, maintaining her actions were protected by parliamentary immunity and part of her duties as an elected official, while repeating allegations of "betrayal" related to October 7 that security bodies have rejected.

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In its decision to grant procedural immunity to someone who exposed the name of a service officer, the Knesset is signaling to all members of the secret security services that they should expect their lives to become fair game for a momentary political interest.