The broader picture.
BARRY SHAW | Apr 04, 2025
Zvika Klein. By Israel Bardugo, CC BY-SA 4.0
As part of the Bar-Turgeman Shin Bet Qatargate intrigue intended to bring down Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, the Jerusalem Post editor, Zvika Klein was brought in for questioning and arrested by the police.
This is his harrowing public statement after his release;
I wasn’t always a journalist. I was born in Chicago to a warm, Zionist family. My parents, Charles and Beverly Klein, grew up in the Bnei Akiva youth movement. My siblings – my brother Avi, my sister Dina – and I were raised with the values of Zionism and a deep love for the Jewish people and the State of Israel. We made aliyah in 1985. I was a child. Here in Israel, I became a counselor in Bnei Akiva and served in the IDF as the founder and head of the religious and haredi desk in the IDF Spokesperson’s Unit. Ever since, journalism has been in my blood.
For many years, I dedicated my career to connecting Diaspora Jewry with Israel. I served as a shaliach, was the spokesperson for World Bnei Akiva, and then joined Makor Rishon, where I established the field of Diaspora affairs coverage in Israeli media – a beat that barely existed before. I brought the voice of Israel to Jewish communities around the world – and brought the voices of remote Jewish communities back to Israel. We built bridges, recognition, and support circles. Looking back over the past 15 years, I believe we sparked a revolution.
Three years ago, I joined The Jerusalem Post as a reporter and commentator on Jewish world affairs. I’ve always cared not only about the big headlines but also the human stories – and the Jewish angle. For example, when the world was focused on the World Cup in Qatar, I wanted to know: how does kosher food get there? I set out to find that story. I tried to get there. I tried to interview. I tried to tell a unique story – and eventually, I succeeded.
In late 2023, on the eve of the war, I was appointed editor-in-chief of the paper. At the same time, Qatar became a key player in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas. I understood this was a rare journalistic opportunity. I reached out to officials representing the Qatari government and, after some back and forth, I became the first Israeli journalist to interview the prime minister of Qatar. The full story was proudly published in this paper. Nothing was hidden. Everything was done with full transparency and at the highest journalistic standards.
There were critical voices in our pages – against the article, against the visit – and we published them, too. That’s what a newspaper committed to freedom of expression does. When, about a year ago, our editorial team told me that a columnist had written a critical op-ed – against me, the article, and my trip to Qatar – and asked if we should run it, I said we must publish it in full. That is the essence of a free press – a paper that does not impose a single opinion but presents a range of perspectives.
I received nothing in return. No benefits, no payment, no promises. I came back to Israel, and apparently one fact puzzled the police: I got nothing in return. A public relations official connected to the delegation offered to promote the article in other media outlets. I agreed. The interviews aired on Channel 12 and Channel 13. I didn’t hide anything. On the contrary – it was all out in the open.
When I was asked to give an open testimony to the police, I complied, as a law-abiding citizen. I thought I could be helpful – nothing more. But then everything turned upside down.
During my testimony, I was informed that I was now being questioned under caution. My phone was taken without a warrant or explanation. I was interrogated for about 12 hours, alone, without contact with my wife – who was abroad – and without being able to speak to my children for many hours. The conditions were harsh. When leaks from the investigation began to emerge – and they are still emerging as I write these lines – I couldn’t respond. I was prohibited from speaking to the media. My good name was damaged, even before the truth could come out.
Only after several days of silence did a public outcry begin. Colleagues – journalists, editors, media professionals – asked: how could it be that in the State of Israel, a journalist is detained and interrogated for doing his job? Thankfully, I was fully released yesterday – without restrictions. It was my legal argument – that I could not publish anything as long as the investigation was ongoing – that convinced the investigators to let me go.
The time will come when the full story can be told. But it was important for me to speak to you – the readers – now, and say: I am here. We are here.
As editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post, we operate according to the highest journalistic standards. For 92 years, this paper has pursued truth, sought access, and delivered exclusive and original stories. That is what I’ve brought with me since the moment I became a journalist – and that’s how I’ll continue.
This case will not intimidate me. It will not intimidate my dedicated team. It will not intimidate any journalist working with integrity and courage. We are not beholden to anyone, do not serve foreign interests, and owe nothing to anyone.
The only ones we owe anything to – are you, our readers. The public’s right to know is our duty. I am proud of our newspaper, proud of our team, and proud to be an Israeli journalist in a democratic country. I only hope that the law enforcement authorities remember that, too.”
The attempted collapse of Israel as a free and democratic society is not being led by Netanyahu the “Crime Minister” as publicly portrayed by the elite left leaders of this anti-democratic mutiny led by a real crime minister, Ehud Olmert, and by the suspicious figure of another Ehud, failed Prime Minister Barak, a Jeffrey Epstein associate, but by those who want to bring down an elected leader and government by attempting, but failing, to construct a mass rebellion of public protest.
The Israeli public is not buying their lies.
A recent poll (3 April 2025) released on Israel’s Channel 14 showed that, given an election yesterday, a Netanyahu-led coalition would retain a majority government with 62 seats against a center right coalition of only 47 seats, and with Arab parties gaining 11 seats.
In other words, democratically they would lose.
There is a deep state revolution going on right now that is deeply disturbing to the majority of Israelis.
Zvika Klein is just the latest victim of their attempt to bring down Bibi.
We are reminded that Hamas brought forward their genocidal invasion of Israel in large part because in late 2023 Mohammad Sinwar saw the elite Israeli left, including senior military officers, telling reservists not to turn up for duty of commanded to do so.
Despite the external and internal turmoil, led by a well-funded anti-democratic movement aided and abetted by non-elected judges, and with the active encouragement of leading and recently defeated American Democrats, the majority of Israel remain committed to defeating Hamas and stand solidly behind their elected leader.
Barry Shaw,
Israel Institute for Strategic Studies.
Rafi, it’s a shame these opinions are based on polls which are often biased. However, I hate to think what would happen in Israel if Netanyahu were to call for elections.
Barry Shaw
Israel is in dire straights at this time. It seems that Netanyahu needs an instrument like an executive order to get some common sense back into the country. I am personally amazed by what we see on these pages and also by the opinions of people, I previously respected but who, it seems, have gone off the rails.
Many of the comments below are well founded. Follow the money is a good idea, but I doubt anyone will be able to bring Soros to justice except maybe Trump. On the other hand, the amount of money needed to subvert the people on the street is really quite small and any billionaire around has enough small change in his pocket to provide the means.
While I fully understand Netanyahu’s desire and intention to solve the major problems at their roots, i.e. the justice system, there are other smaller issues that need immediate attention, such as those in the IDF who suggest, if not demand, that citizens no longer show up for military service, or who casually disobey direct orders in a time of war. I regard dealing with these “minor” issues as very important, akin to putting food on the table every day, although we are all aware of the fact that more and better food can be put on the table if we take the time to get an education. The other major problem, addressed by this article, is the politicized Israeli police. They are generally considered by the public to be corrupt and incompetent, only able to swat the simple citizen on the street if he tries to jay-walk, but unable to address the real criminality, for example, in the so-called elite left.
As mentioned at the top, Israel is in dire straights at this time, but not due to the 7-front ongoing war so much as due to the inner strife. I wonder if a little magic or prayer would help.
In the rogues’ gallery of those who want to destroy Israeli democracy, I never see one man’s name and I think he should be included. I refer to George Soros. The demonstrations need money and Soros has that. And since I am a firm believer in ‘follow the money’, I think Israel should go after him and that what happened to Eichmann should happen to him.
The Israeli establishment , which is anti-Israel, pro-Hamas, pro-Iran and above all pro-Russia, considers Bibi to be the enemy, not Hamas, not Hizbollah, not the Houthis, not Iran, and not Russia. They working with all their might to enable Hamas to win the Gaza war, and Hizbollah to winthe Lebanon war. Israel is one of the few countries in the world where agents of foreign powers that arewaging war against their own country. In effect, traitors who to a large extent control the government of the country they are betraying into the hands of foreign powers intent on destroying it. I don;t know if there are any other countries in the world where the police,the courts, and prosecutors are nearly all agents of foreign powers at war with their own.
Obviously, the charges against Bibi[s associatesMKs and even the editor of the Jerusalem Post, are complete fraudulent, aimed only at overthrowing Israel’s elected government and replacing it with one subservient to Iran, and will ing to hand over the overwhelming majority of the Israeli Jewish people to Iran and its intended final solution to the Jewish question. The traitors themselves wil then flee to the United States, Belgium, or other anti-Israel “democracies.” Many of themalready have close relatives living abroad, and many have established relationships, with anti-Israel bureaucrats, NGOs, “foundations,” “think tanks,.” and mainstream media journalistsand commentators. These people will find cushy jobs for the ex-Israeli treasonous expatriates. The six to eight million Jews left behind in Israelwill then be genocided by Iran and its agends, with Russia and the United States lookin on with quiet approval. I admit this is a grim prophecy . But I think it is what is likely to happen.
I completely agree with @Peloni1986.
The globalists are panicking now. President Trump is unafraid of them and moving forward with his plan to MAGA, and his plan to undo all the hard work of the globalists towards keeping the Middle East conflict alive. The globalists have empowered Shiite religious fanatics who want to blow Israel and America off the map, they have disempowered Israel and allowed Iran to create a ring of fire surrounding Israel, such that Israel can be attacked from every direction. They have paid the heads of state of all the countries in the Middle East to NOT HELP the Palestinians so the Palestinians can remain professional victims. They have paid billions of dollars to the PA and Hamas, so Israelis could be butchered in their own homes and safe rooms and music festivals at will. They even started Hamas from scratch with the King of Jordan (That would be George Bush Sr. who started Hamas).
But look what has happened: In Israel the political Left is now a corpse, as far as electoral politics is concerned. Not only that, but the people now know that the Military and Intelligence failures combined with the arrogance of Left wing Supreme Court justices were the reason so many Israelis were murdered on the 7th of October! They have been exposed as criminally negligent to the people of Israel. Netanyahu has not been destroyed by the Left, if anything he is stronger politically than ever given that the Left is now gone from the scene.
Then too, Trump wasn’t assassinated on national TV, even though they tried hard to get him. He won the Presidency. He is proceeding to turn the tables on the globalist cabal with tariffs, doing to them what they have done to America ever since George Bush Sr. first uttered the words, “A New World Order…”
Trump has decided that the Iranian nukes must go, and he backs Israel 100% in Israelis’ need for national security. He backs Israel winning against Hamas, Hezbollah, and lo and behold Iran has called off their Houthi proxies from attacking ships.
What is the Israeli deep state to do? It appears that just like in America, each time the lawfare group attacked Trump, instead of it weakening Trump, it made him stronger, gave him more popular support, and made him a winner. The same is now going on in Israel with Netanyahu. The Israeli deep state and the left failed to learn the lesson of the deep state in the US and they are thinking they can still “get” Bibi one way or another, but since they have already been exposed to all Israelis, IT IS NOT GOING TO WORK. They cannot grow their support when it is patently obvious they are working against the people of Israel.
But I guess because they are craven and power hungry sociopaths, all they know is holding on to power any which way they can. Sadly for them, they are ultimately going to have to face the consequences of their criminal neglect of the safety and security of the Israeli people for which they were hired.
The Supreme Court justices present a much thornier problem, but once Netanyahu cleans out the Israeli spy agencies, and he gets the (potential) data on the collusion between these justices and the Intelligence agencies to work against the security of the Israeli people, he will be able to expose them and hopefully remove them for cause, if necessary, with military escorts.
At least this is what Trump is going to do. John Ratcliffe has called Elon Musk and DOGE to the CIA and it’s possible that the data they discover will allow Trump to know the truth about every CIA op and operative, and this will allow for exposure of the most heinous crimes against people of the world and of America.
The best is yet to come!
Am Yisrael Chai!
@John Galt IV
I would argue that their world view is one in which they retain power, no matter with who they have to ally themselves, no matter what costs or casualties which migt arise, and to the ends that they might retain power, there is likely no imagined limit of excess which they might find to be of greater import than their own salvation and empowerment.
“The attempted collapse of Israel as a free and democratic society is not being led by Netanyahu the “Crime Minister” as publicly portrayed by the elite left leaders of this anti-democratic mutiny led by a real crime minister, Ehud Olmert, and by the suspicious figure of another Ehud, failed Prime Minister Barak, a Jeffrey Epstein associate, but by those who want to bring down an elected leader and government by attempting, but failing, to construct a mass rebellion of public protest.”
“but by those who want to bring down an elected leader…”
OK – who? Ehud Barak for sure. Every government institution for sure: IDF leadership except perhaps the new leader – Zamir, Shin Bet leaders, Mossad leaders, Police leaders, the entire corrupt Israeli Judiciary, all universities except maybe BAR-ILAN, the Left Wing Media, Gantz, Lapid…..Who am I missing?
What on earth are these peoples world view? Peace with Iran? We just don’t understand Hamas and Hezbollah? The poor “Palestinians” – permanent refugees for the next 1,000 years who we have mistreated and taken their land, nonsense? Maybe, desperately needing the approval of decadent, pathetic European and American “Elites?”