Photo: Ben Zygier, known as Prisoner X, was found dead in a suicide-proof Israeli prison cell in 2010.
Related Story: Australian suspected of Mossad links dies in Israeli jail
Related Story: Carr demands answers on Zygier case
Related Story: Israel won't lay charges over Prisoner X death
Israel's Justice Ministry has confirmed that the family of former Australian Mossad agent Ben Zygier has negotiated a compensation package worth $1.2 million.
Zygier suicided in Israel's Ramla prison in 2010 after his secret arrest and incarceration. He was facing at least 10 years in prison for treason.
The agreement absolves the government for any blame over Mr Zygier’s death.
The Melbourne born dual citizen was discovered hanged by a sheet in his cell shortly after a visit from his wife in December 2010.
A judicial inquiry found that prison guards missed periodic checks of his high-tech cell and that at least one CCTV camera was not working. The inquiry also established that crucial information about Zygier's poor mental state was not passed on to prison medical personnel.
Timeline: Prisoner X case
Look back at the key developments surrounding Ben Zygier's death.
The existence and plight of Israel's so-called Prisoner X was revealed earlier this year by the ABC's Foreign Correspondent program.
The revelations led to a political scandal in Israel, with its feared overseas intelligence agency Mossad forced to review its recruiting procedures.
Earlier this year, Israeli attorney-general Moshe Lador admitted there were serious mistakes made by the prisons service in the supervision of Zygier, but there was not enough evidence to bring charges against personnel.
The Israeli television report claims the Zygier family will receive an immediate payout of $720,000 and payouts of $120,000 over the next four years.
Zygier is survived by his Israeli wife and two small children.
The family is being shielded by security authorities, with a court gag order preventing any approach from the media.
His parents Geoffrey and Louise are prominent leaders of Melbourne's Jewish community and are understood to have a central role in negotiations for compensation.
Geoffrey Zygier refused to comment when contacted by phone.
Video: Prisoner X: The Secret (Foreign Correspondent)
The ABC's Foreign Correspondent program report earlier this year revealed the Israeli government went to extraordinary lengths to cover up the Zygier's arrest and subsequent death.
When authorities were made aware of the story, they summoned the editors and owners of Israeli media to the office of the prime minister, where the head of Mossad urged them not to report the story.
The gag order eventually broke down in the midst of public debate about how Israel should manage its state secrets.
Authorities in Israel have refused to comment on the reasons behind Zygier's incarceration, but a subsequent story by the ABC's Foreign Correspondent claimed he sabotaged a Mossad mission to bring back the bodies of fallen soldiers in Lebanon.
The story claimed Zygier gave up the names of Lebanese informants to Mossad to an operative of Hezbollah.
Wednesday, September 11, 2013
Israel to pay $1.2 million compensation to family over death of Prisoner X Ben Zygier
