Ad Kan

Since Israel’s founding in 1948 it has faced threats and fought major wars with its neighbor Arab states to survive. With Israel’s ascension as a military and economic superpower in the middle east[8] its wars have slowly changed from being existential threats with surrounding countries to being focused on regional security threats from terrorist groups in civilian areas.[9]

In the late 1980’s, 1990’s and early 2000’s, Arab terrorists living in Israel and the west bank opened a terror campaign against Israel in which over two thousand Israeli civilians were killed. These terror campaigns were called intifadas. The attacks included the use of knives, guns, stones, Molotov cocktails and of course bombs. Israel had much difficulty dealing with these terror attacks until Prime Minister Ariel Sharon initiated Operation Defensive Shield. In this operation Sharon sent Israeli security forces into the terrorist hotbeds in the West Bank and arrested thousands of terrorist and confiscated tens of thousands of weapons and items used to commit terror attacks.

As Israel transitioned to military operations in population centers to combat terrorism, this allowed outside forces and the media to take pictures and video[10] and create false reports without consequence. In addition to spreading misinformation against Israel, they used pictures and film from staged events or scenes which did not take place in Israel to besmirch the Jewish State. These acts were being committed by foreign organizations as well as by domestic organizations in an effort to effect Israeli policy, its national character and standing in the international community.[11] Simultaneously these groups opened a worldwide campaign to boycott, sanction and divest Israeli goods, services, and products (BDS) because of Israel’s policies in the West Bank. These nonstop campaigns have negatively affected Israel in the form of hearings and condemnations in the UN as well as civil lawsuits in courts all over the world.[12]

Gilad Ach, who was a former head of a company in the elite forces in the Golani brigade and former agent in the Israeli police, Aviram Zeevi met this reality in the field during their service. In different military zones they met pro BDS groups trying to disturb day to day army activities and instigating terror activities.[13] In addition, they encountered selective filming and provocations by these groups. These groups took advantage of the fact that legally it is very complicated for the Israeli army to deal with foreigners and many soldiers are not aware of the laws.[14] In light of Gilad and Aviram’s experiences they decided to establish “Ad Kan”, or “It Stops Now” in 2015 to expose and combat these groups from within.

In 2014, Ad Kan activists, Itzik Goldway and his girlfriend infiltrated Ta'ayush, an Arab-Jewish partnership whose aims include preventing Palestinians in the South Hebron Hills from being deprived of their land and homes;[15] they captured footage of Ezra Nawi, claiming to have lured Palestinian land sellers into deals and then turning them over to Palestinian authorities, which could potentially lead to the death penalty.[16] The footage was aired on the Israeli investigative television program Uvda  in 2016; the program was criticized by journalist Amira Hass for its failure to investigate the background, funding and sources of Ad Kan, referring to the program as "a puff piece for a privatized, mini-Shin Bet".[15] Nawi was arrested in 2016 on suspicion of various offences, including accessory to manslaughter, conspiring in attempted murder and drug use.[17][18][19] These charges were not pursued due to lack of evidence.[20] He was ultimately indicted in 2018 for "cooperation with Palestinian security forces",[21] making him the first Jew to be charged with an Oslo era law against aiding the Palestinian Authority.[22] Nawi died in January 2021 and before the completion of the legal process.[21]

Their investigation into the NGO Breaking the Silence claimed to show they had tried to obtain classified information about "troop deployment, operational methods and mission procedures."[23][24] It led to a Channel 2 report, as well as the then defense minister Moshe Ya'alon ordering an investigation for what he termed "treason".[25] In response, Yuli Novak, then executive director of Breaking the Silence, accused Benjamin Netanyahu of “turning Israel’s security services into a political tool" and further stated: “Netanyahu’s attempt to shut down the NGO and harm soldiers and combatants who object to the occupation should worry all those concerned for Israel’s future.” She further clarified that the information contained in the Channel 2 report had passed through the IDF censors.[26] An inquiry by the State Attorney's Office found no evidence of wrongdoing, or criminal behaviour, on the part of Breaking the Silence; an appeal by Ad Kan against that decision also failed.[27] At the conclusion of the appeals process executive director of Breaking the Silence, Avner Gvaryahu, stated: "It is now clear to everyone that the settlers’ organizations have lied to the press, to the prosecution, to the public and to all of us. Those trying to label soldiers who break the silence as traitors, spies and foreign agents have failed again."[28]

In 2018, the organization put up faux demolition notices on the homes of members of the left-wing NGO HaMoked. The faux demolition notice stated "The demolition of terrorist houses prevents the next attack. Do not help terror and do not lend a hand to the next murder!" and concluded with "demolition order".[29] In December 2018, the organization initiated a complaint against the organization Anarchists Against the Wall, the complaint led to Anarchists Against the Wall facing criminal charges for throwing stones at the security forces with the intent to harm them.[30]

In 2020, the organization published a report about a Combatants for Peace activist, Neta Hazan, claiming she was a Palestinian Preventive Security agent. The document used to substantiate the claim was deemed forged by the courts.[31]

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