Reporter Scoops Shin Bet, Interviews Illegal Woman Who Worked for Defense Minister’s Wife

By Nathan Jeffay October 18, 2010

Does the Israeli press have more powerful research capabilities than the Israel Security Agency, Shin Bet?

Nili Priel, the wife of Defense Minister Ehud Barak, has admitted to employing an illegal foreign worker as a housekeeper. Last week, Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein closed the case as the state, even with the help of Shin Bet, had failed to locate the worker. But yesterday Israel Radio military correspondent Carmela Menashe did what the top security officials couldn’t: He spoke to the worker, interviewing her for the whole nation to hear. Early today, Ynet indicated that the case will be reopened. Right now reports are coming through that Priel has written to the Attorney General reiterating her guilt and saying she is ready to pay a fine.

I hope you appreciated this article. Before you go, I’d like to ask you to please support the Forward’s award-winning journalism this Passover.

In this age of misinformation, our work is needed like never before. We report on the news that matters most to American Jews, driven by truth, not ideology.

At a time when newsrooms are closing or cutting back, the Forward has removed its paywall. That means for the first time in our 126-year history, Forward journalism is free to everyone, everywhere. With an ongoing war, rising antisemitism, and a flood of disinformation that may affect the upcoming election, we believe that free and open access to Jewish journalism is imperative.

Readers like you make it all possible. Right now, we’re in the middle of our Passover Pledge Drive and we still need 300 people to step up and make a gift to sustain our trustworthy, independent journalism.

Make a gift of any size and become a Forward member today. You’ll support our mission to tell the American Jewish story fully and fairly.

— Rachel Fishman Feddersen, Publisher and CEO