An Australian army officer who lost his security clearance due to allegations of loyalty to Israel remains in the Australian defense force, albeit on inactive reserve, pending administrative action. According to the Australian Defence Force (ADF), this move is an administrative shift rather than a discharge, and the officer is now classified in an inactive service category. The officer, a Jewish individual with 19 years of service, had his clearance revoked following an Administrative Review Tribunal which upheld ASIO’s assessment that he was not of “appropriate character and trustworthiness to hold any security clearance”. The officer reportedly informed ASIO interviewers that he would share classified information with the Israel Defense Forces if requested, and had concealed information about his participation in training courses in Israel in 2016 and 2019, including courses in self-defense, security, and firearms. ASIO was concerned about the dual nature of these community security groups, suggesting they might be seen as a recruitment pool for foreign intelligence services. ASIO maintains that there is nothing inherently wrong with these community security groups, but emphasizes the importance of transparency regarding any involvement with such groups in overseas training.

Source: https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2025/feb/26/australian-army-officer-security-clearance-israel-loyalty-adf-role-ntwnfb