Former Netanyahu spokesperson suspected of leaking confidential documents

A former spokesperson for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was arrested for releasing confidential military documents to the press without authorization, which could have undermined an agreement on the release of hostages held in Gaza, a court said on Sunday Israeli. Four people, including members of the Israeli security apparatus and Eliezer Feldstein, a former collaborator of Mr. Netanyahu, are currently in detention, said the Rishon LeZion court (center).

An investigation was opened by the Shin Bet, the domestic intelligence services, and the army after the publication in September by two newspapers, the Jewish Chronicle in London and the major German daily Bild, of two articles based on confidential military documents . One detailed an alleged plan by Yahya Sinouar, the political leader of Hamas, to flee the Gaza Strip with the hostages towards Egypt through the “Philadelphi Corridor”, a buffer zone along the border. The other was based on notes presented as coming from the Hamas leadership on its leader’s strategy to thwart negotiations on the release of the hostages. This information, partly false, would have according to the court “undermined the capacity of the security agencies to achieve the objective of freeing the abducted people”, explained the court, which issued a notice of censorship on a large part of the investigation.

Mr Netanyahu’s opponents suspect the prime minister of using the leaks to refuse to relinquish control of the corridor between Egypt and southern Gaza, despite the issue being a major sticking point in the talks. truce with Hamas which has been at a standstill since the summer. “According to the investigation, associates of Mr. Netanyahu leaked confidential documents and falsified documents to hinder a possible release of the hostages,” said opposition leader Yair Lapid at a conference of press. “If Netanyahu knew, he is complicit in one of the biggest security violations in history. If he didn’t know, then what does he know,” he said.

Mr. Netanyahu refuted these accusations on Friday, saying in a statement that the document published by Bild had “not arrived” at his office. Without mentioning Mr. Feldstein’s name, he specified that he “never participated in security meetings or consulted confidential documents.”