A political scandal involving Benjamin Netanyahu’s office has emerged amid ongoing conflict in Israel. A media spokesperson is accused of leaking confidential documents related to hostages held by Hamas, which led to protests demanding negotiations. Reports from “Jewish Chronicle” and “Bild” initially supported Netanyahu’s stance but were later revealed to be misleading or forged. As a result, four individuals face serious legal consequences, while Netanyahu claims ignorance of their actions, framing the situation as a conspiracy against him.
In recent days, alongside Israel’s ongoing multi-front conflict, a gripping political saga has captured the attention of the nation: a scandal involving a breach of confidentiality within Benjamin Netanyahu’s inner circle, specifically concerning a media spokesperson from the Prime Minister’s office and the German publication “Bild.”
The narrative of this intricate political drama takes a tragic turn on September 1. On this day, the Israeli military revealed the discovery of six hostages’ bodies in the Gaza Strip, executed by Hamas. This grim news sparked massive protests across Israel, with unions leading calls for a general strike to advocate for negotiations with Hamas aimed at securing the hostages’ release.
Protesters have accused Netanyahu of lacking interest in reaching an agreement and of intentionally undermining negotiations. Conversely, the Prime Minister places the blame squarely on Hamas for the breakdown of talks. In the wake of the hostages’ execution, two reports emerged from the British “Jewish Chronicle” and the German “Bild,” which seemed to bolster Netanyahu’s position.
Arrests of Netanyahu’s Office Staff
The “Jewish Chronicle” claimed to have uncovered a secret document suggesting that the late Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar intended to transport hostages to Iran through Egypt. This report appeared to reinforce Netanyahu’s argument for maintaining control over the Egypt-Gaza border, a critical issue in the negotiations.
Simultaneously, “Bild” reported, citing an alleged “secret war paper from the terror chief,” that Sinwar had no desire for an agreement and aimed to prolong the conflict to increase pressure on Israel. According to “Bild,” this document was retrieved from Sinwar’s computer. Just two days after this revelation, Netanyahu publicly referenced the “Bild” report.
“These articles have significantly shaped public opinion in Israel,” stated Gideon Rahat, a political science expert at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, in an interview. The information was perceived as credible since it originated from foreign sources.
However, both reports are now under scrutiny for potentially being misleading. The Israeli military promptly launched an investigation into the leak. The “Jewish Chronicle” report was identified as a forgery and subsequently removed. The supposed document was never found to exist.
As for the “Bild” report, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) clarified that it was not based on a document from Sinwar’s computer but stemmed from a mid-level Hamas commander’s recommendation. Further investigations revealed that key aspects of the document, particularly the claim about Hamas’s lack of interest in negotiations, were also fabricated. Notably, the “Bild” report remains available on the website of one of Europe’s largest newspapers.
In response to media inquiries, a spokesperson for “Bild” stated that the publication typically does not disclose its sources and did not directly address whether parts of the document were distorted. The spokesperson added, “The authenticity of the document known to us was confirmed by the IDF immediately after publication.”
The fallout from this situation is leading to legal repercussions: it was reported that Eli Feldstein, a media spokesperson from Netanyahu’s office, along with three soldiers, has been detained for breaching secrecy protocols. They are likely facing indictment and court proceedings.
Potential Life Sentences for the Accused
The accused individuals are charged with leaking classified documents, thereby jeopardizing national security, or for failing to act upon witnessing the breach. A conviction could result in life imprisonment for the four individuals involved.
According to consistent reports from “Haaretz” and “Ynet,” Feldstein is believed to have received the contentious document from a reservist and shared it with Israeli journalists. However, these journalists were skeptical and chose not to publish it due to military censorship. Subsequently, Feldstein reportedly contacted “Bild.”
After the “Bild” article was published, Israeli media revealed that the purported Sinwar document was indeed forged. Following this revelation, Feldstein allegedly reconvened with the reservist, who provided him with the original document along with two other classified papers. These were later discovered during a police raid at Feldstein’s residence three weeks ago when he was arrested.
Implications of the Scandal for Netanyahu
Israeli media indicate that Feldstein was officially employed by the director-general of Netanyahu’s office, but not directly. This was due to his failure in a lie detector test, which precluded him from obtaining security clearance. Nonetheless, he maintained a close relationship with Netanyahu, even appearing in photos alongside the Prime Minister at public events.
Netanyahu continues to assert that he had no prior knowledge of Feldstein’s actions, stating that his office never received the published document from the military and that he learned of it through the media.
Political analyst Gideon Rahat suggests that the scandal may not pose a significant threat to Netanyahu, even if a court finds that Feldstein acted under the Prime Minister’s orders. “Netanyahu is a populist who assures his supporters that he is combating the so-called ‘deep state,'” Rahat explains. “He will likely frame it to the public as a conspiracy by the courts and security services to undermine his legitimate leadership.”
This strategy appears to be the course Netanyahu is currently taking. During a recent speech in the Israeli parliament, he accused the judiciary of bias, asserting, “Everyone sees what is happening here. The public is not foolish; the people are not ignorant.”