The scandal rocking Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu began with giant format headlines announcing Hamas’ “grisly” plans for Israeli hostages. and special stories about documents “says it is” from corporate computers already-Leader Yahya Sinwar Subject Appears in German But it clearly fits Netanyahu’s domestic needs.
The date is September 6. Less than a week has passed since the bodies of six Israeli hostages were shot by Hamas. was found In a tunnel in the Gaza Strip Protesters fill the streets of Israel night after night. Call for a hostage agreement and expressed anger that Netanyahu blocked a deal that could have saved the six lives. Funerals for murdered captives attracted thousands of people.
All of this affects Hamas’ strategy. Therefore, the Sinwar documents allegedly BuildGermany’s largest newspaper, has received it. The document calls for the use of “Psychological pressure” on families of Israeli hostages “To allow public pressure on the enemy government (Israel) to increase.” Meanwhile, hostage deal talks could be dragged out long enough for Hamas to rebuild its military. Documents that are paraphrased from specified documents
Israel media quickly reflect at report– Netanyahu jumped on it. In his weekly statement to the media before the Cabinet meeting, he said: Build It has revealed Hamas’ plans: “Sow discord among us… tear us from within… until Israel is defeated.” Most Israelis are not. “Falling into Hamas’s trap,” he added, demonstrators are, by implication, tools of Israel’s enemies.
If Hamas’s publication of the document seems too convenient for Netanyahu’s political purposes, That’s probably because it is. on Thursday Netanyahu’s spokesman has been indicted on espionage charges for disclosing classified information with the intent to undermine state security. which carries a maximum sentence of life imprisonment. Spokesperson, Caught At the end of last month gave the contents of a top secret document to a German newspaper for Another close adviser and spokesman for the prime minister was questioned by police, the indictment said. and was named but not charged in the indictment. Stating that the leak may affect “Capabilities” of the Israeli Secret Service This means that the intelligence community may lose out on its long-standing investment in developing resources. The same is true for information that the source can provide in the future. Last week’s court decision which partially lifted the gag order, saying the leak could also jeopardize efforts to release the hostages.
As shown in court documents Members of Netanyahu’s staff have shown that they are willing to pay a staggering price for deflecting criticism of the prime minister’s war policies. This is due to military secrecy and the court’s gag order. The overall picture of the case has not yet been revealed. But complaints and other legal documents It can tell some stories.
when Build The article came out It is reported to have caused panic in Israeli military intelligence. at Realize that The story is based on top secret documents leaked from within the military, but source of army told Israeli media that the document came from a Hamas minority figure. Not Sinwar. Nor does it address the lack of interest in the hostage deal.
Shin Bet, Israel’s domestic intelligence service The leak was investigated and traced to a commissioned officer. He allegedly saw the document and decided he needed to contact Netanyahu. The leaker’s motive is unknown. Although it may be linked to a conspiracy narrative, according to reports. promoted by Netanyahu that the military had hidden important information from the prime minister since before the war (in fact, the indictment says (The uncommissioned officer is said to have been in contact with Netanyahu spokesman Eli Feldstein.) and send photos of documents to him and Hebrew translation via Telegram
Feldstein himself is a former official and former spokesman for the Israeli military department in the West Bank. After leaving the army He is the spokesman for Itamar Ben-Gvir, Israel’s far-right national security minister. Last October After the war began, Netanyahu Carry on. Feldstein was his point man for military reporters.
in april The indictment states that Feldstein failed a Shin Bet security review and was found to be unfit to handle highly classified material. But Netanyahu kept him. And he regularly visits Israeli military headquarters in Tel Aviv.
The commissioned officer is accused of sending the documents to Feldstein last June. Feldstein sent a message to senior spokesman Jonathan Urich that he had received “Crazy media” intended for the Prime Minister Citing the exact time of the WhatsApp messages, whether Urich or Feldstein actually sent the documents to Netanyahu is not specified in the indictment. But at the beginning of September Meanwhile, the streets of Israel are filled with protesters. Feldstein is accused of sending photos of the material to an Israeli television reporter via Telegram. As required by law The reporter checked with the military censor. which can block the dissemination of information It “almost certainly” will endanger national security. Censorship killed that show.
Undeterred by the censors’ decision, Feldstein allegedly wrote to Urich asking if he knew of anyone outside Israel who could arrange the publication of classified material. The indictment says Urich connected him to Yisrael (Srulik) Einhorn, a campaign adviser who had worked closely with Netanyahu and who was abroad. Feldstein sent the contents of the document to Einhorn and the censor’s message to block its publication via WhatsApp. Einhorn contacted Build journalists and stories of Hamas’ supposed tactics surfaced. Legal documents do not reveal two key false details that fueled the story: the source of the documents on Sinvar’s computer; and Hamas’ hypothetical intention to prolong the war.
In any case, Feldstein has alerted the Israeli media. which can now report what appears in foreign media This show plays very hard.
According to the indictment, Urich sent a message to Feldstein, definitely referring to the prime minister: “The boss is satisfied.”
The next day, Feldstein and Urich drafted Netanyahu’s statement. Build– Everything was resolved—or so it seemed. Until the arrests began
At least this is the story the indictment tells. Such claims still need to be proven in court. And the indictment does not say whether Netanyahu actually knew in June that one of his aides had illegally obtained documents stolen from military intelligence. It does not say whether Netanyahu ordered the leaks. Or did he even know in advance that the documents would be leaked? Regardless, Netanyahu will face potential legal consequences. Or are there only political consequences? We have to wait and follow.
Of course, this case shook him. When it first broke, he denied it was there. any leaks from his office and Whoever it is From his office he was arrested or questioned. His tone had changed since then. on Saturday night Netanyahu released a 9-minute clip on social media. video clip in response to accusations The usually rude Prime Minister appeared angry and worried. He falsely claimed that no other leaks had been investigated. And the army is hiding important information from him. This investigation is A “witch hunt” with a purpose “Not only me. but also to you It was a lot of the public that voted for me,” he said. He said he knew Feldstein as “a patriot.”
He then added: “But if they come … in the middle of the night and imprison you, isolate you … threaten you with life imprisonment … a person can break out of jail” and say anything. It was an apparent temporary strike. If Feldstein were to testify against him.
Meanwhile, hostages remain in Gaza. Why Netanyahu? have resisted Reaching a ceasefire and hostage agreement has never been clearer than in September. He set the goal of the war as “Definite victory” over the military group Hamas and end Government in Gaza But he avoided offering a choice on who would run the post-war Gaza Strip and recently fired Defense Minister Yoav Gallant. said earlier This month—at a meeting with hostage families—that Israel had “All military objectives have been achieved,” so the mystery remains.
“My lord is satisfied. And my son was abused in the tunnels” of Gaza, Einav Zangauker, whose son is a hostage, said. said in a video statement. on social media after Feldstein’s indictment was made public.
Perhaps Netanyahu’s far-right allies want the war to continue. As a result, Israel was able to re-occupy and settle Gaza. Or perhaps ending the fighting could double down on public pressure for new elections. which Netanyahu is likely to lose
This is where the hostage issue meets the leak issue: security is the most important thing for Israel.”Mr. Safety” It seems to be his own.
