
Eli Feldstein, an official from Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu’s office, has been revealed as the main suspect in the “serious security leaks case”.
Four Israelis, including the official, have been arrested in connection with the serious security leaks case.
According to a ruling published Sunday (Nov 3) by Rishon Lezion Magistrate Court head Menahem Mizrahi, Feldstein, who has served as a spokesperson in the Prime Minister’s Office, is accused of divulging top-secret information with national security implications to European media outlets.
The names of three other suspects remain gagged by the court, but it confirmed that they were connected to the defence establishment.
The court said, “The investigation began after significant suspicions arose in the Shin Bet and IDF, including as a result of media publications, that secret and sensitive intelligence information was taken from the IDF and removed illegally, sparking concerns of serious harm to national security and a danger to the sources of the information. As a result, the damage could have been done to the ability of defence bodies to achieve the goal of freeing the hostages [held in Gaza].”
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Netanyahu had sought to distance himself from the case as he claimed no one from his office was arrested or was under investigation.
The leaked documents are said to have formed the basis of a widely discredited article in the London-based Jewish Chronicle, suggesting Hamas had planned to spirit hostages out of Gaza through Egypt.
(With inputs from agencies)