Netanyahu Spokesperson Sought to Sway Public Against Hostage Deal With Leaks to Foreign Media, Israeli Court Says - Israel News - Haaretz.com
An investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's spokesperson revealed he shared a classified document with foreign media to sway public opinion in Israel against protests supporting a hostage release deal, arguing the demonstrations hurt negotiations and aided Hamas.
The Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court cleared the details for publication on Sunday, following a Haaretz request.
The document was sent to the German newspaper Bild via a third party linked to the Prime Minister's Office.
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The court also permitted the publication of allegations that Eli Feldstein, Netanyahu's spokesperson, along with three security officials, is suspected of disclosing classified information with intent to harm state security – a serious espionage offense punishable by life imprisonment –and conspiring to commit a crime.
A reservist, identified as one of the primary suspects alongside Feldstein, provided a document with the second-highest security classification, a classified as such to protect the sources of the information.
The Prime Minister's Office in Jerusalem, pictured last week.Credit: Noam Rivikin Fenton
The reservist sent the file to Feldstein via social media, who then passed it to a Channel 12 journalist. The journalist forwarded it to the military censor, which blocked publication. Feldstein then bypassed the censor, arranging for Bild to publish it.
At the same time, Feldstein alerted Israeli journalists and urged them to report on the article once it appeared in Bild.
Amid skepticism in Israeli media over the document's credibility, Feldstein asked the reservist for the original file. The reservist supplied it along with two additional classified documents, stating that Feldstein claimed the materials were requested by the prime minister for verification.
The court noted that Feldstein received the documents in June, but their dissemination occurred near August 31, around the time Hamas murdered six hostages – Almog Sarusi, Alex Lobanov, Carmel Gat, Eden Yerushalmi, Ori Danino and Hersh Goldberg-Polin.
Amid widespread protests over the government's handling of the hostage deal, Feldstein allegedly shared the documents to redirect public discourse, pinning blame on Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar.
A third suspect, a reservist with the rank of Major, allegedly passed Feldstein a separate intelligence-related diplomatic document. A fourth figure, a soldier in the information security unit also serving in another agency, is accused of knowing about the leaks but failing to report them.
The investigation was launched following IDF Chief of Staff Herzl Halevi's referral to the Shin Bet after a leak was detected by the IDF's Information Security Department. An internal review determined the department was unable to investigate independently.
On Sunday, police submitted a draft indictment against Feldstein and another suspect. The court extended their detention by five days, with indictments expected to be filed in the Lod District Court.
The investigation team is divided over whether the suspects should remain in custody after indictments are issued, with prosecutors supporting their detention until the trial's conclusion and police opposing the move.
Einav Zangauker, mother of Matan who is held hostage in Gaza, criticized the leaks: "While my Matan and other hostages rot in tunnels, Netanyahu's gang ran an illegal operation against a hostage deal and against us families, aiding the enemy and endangering state security. This is unforgivable – a knife in the back of the hostages. Instead of ending the war and saving those abandoned for over a year, Netanyahu sacrifices them for criminal personal interests, working against us and the Israeli public."