Netanyahu's aide arrested in major security leak scandal
The former press spokesman for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces serious charges related to sharing classified military documents with the media, confirmed by an Israeli court on Sunday. This action could have adversely affected negotiations for the exchange of hostages held in the Gaza Strip.
7:01 AM EST, November 4, 2024
The Israeli security agency reported the arrest of four people, including Netanyahu's former associate, Eliezer Feldstein, who is currently in custody in Rishon LeZion.
The investigation began following the publication of articles by the German "Bild" and the British "Jewish Chronicle" in August and September, which revealed intelligence documents. These documents indicated that Hamas plans to divide Israeli society through propaganda about hostages abducted from Israel.
Information about the suspects' arrests was disclosed on Friday when an Israeli court lifted a partial publication ban on the leak case. Judge Menachem Mizrahi found that the leak posed a threat to "sensitive intelligence data" and contributed to hindering Israeli military operations in the Gaza Strip, reports the Times of Israel. Netanyahu himself also called for the disclosure of information related to the proceedings.
Netanyahu under fire
Opposition leader Yair Lapid stated that if Netanyahu knew, he is jointly responsible for one of the most significant security breaches in history. If he didn't know, "then what does he know at all?"
Prime Minister Netanyahu denied the allegations on Friday, claiming that the documents never reached his desk. Without naming Feldstein, Netanyahu emphasized that the former associate "never participated in security meetings where classified documents were discussed."
The leak case emerged amid numerous protests on Israeli streets, demanding a ceasefire to release the hostages, mentioned the "FT." The British daily also noted that "Bild," one of Germany's most popular tabloids, showed a friendly approach to Netanyahu, and the "Jewish Chronicle" ultimately removed articles based on the leak following controversies about their author.
Israel launched actions against Hamas in the Gaza Strip following the terrorist organization's attack on October 7. It was the largest terrorist attack in the country's history, with approximately 1,200 fatalities and 251 abducted; about one hundred hostages remain held in the Gaza Strip.
