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“Intelligence leak” scandal rocks Netanyahu’s office – close associate arrested

Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu. (Photo: US State Department, via Wikimedia Commons)

By Palestine Chronicle Staff

An Israeli district court judge on Friday partially lifted a gag order on the ongoing joint investigation by the Shin Bet, the police and the army.

A close associate is one of several suspects arrested for allegedly leaking classified intelligence information from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, according to media reports.

The news comes as an Israeli district court judge has partially lifted a gag order on ongoing joint investigations by the Shin Bet, police and army, the Times of Israel reported on Friday.

These arrests “are at the center” of what may be “the biggest scandal within the Israeli government” since the genocidal war on Gaza began in October last year, Axios reported.

Information leaked to The Bild

The investigation was launched “after a top secret intelligence report was leaked to the German tabloid Bild,” the Axios report said.

Bild published a report in early September “that referred to a document allegedly written by Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar containing Hamas' strategy for hostage-taking and ceasefire negotiations.”

According to information the judge approved for release on Friday, the investigation focused on “concerns about a security breach resulting from the unlawful provision of classified information,” according to Axios. This “endangered sensitive information and intelligence sources and compromised efforts to achieve the war goals in the Gaza Strip,” it said.

Did Netanyahu know about this?

The Axios report questioned “whether Netanyahu knew about or was involved in the leaks” as they appeared to be aimed at “influencing Israeli public opinion to support his position on a ceasefire agreement that would allow the release of prisoners which includes Hamas.”

Netanyahu was said to have denied that his office was involved.

Netanyahu's addiction to endless wars – US media, state sponsors and the US elections

Haaretz reported that the adviser allegedly involved “worked closely with Netanyahu” during the Gaza war and “attended security cabinet meetings at the Kirya Defense Headquarters in Tel Aviv.”

The newspaper also said Netanyahu's office denied in a statement Friday that any staff member had been arrested.

Citing Kan, the Israeli state broadcaster, Axios said the adviser was “exposed to top secret information” despite “failing” a security clearance.

Opposition criticizes Prime Minister

Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid comments in an article on X said “The affair in the Prime Minister’s Office goes to the heart of the close relationship between the defense establishment and the Prime Minister and his staff.”

“The Prime Minister is already trying, as usual, to distance himself from the matter and shift responsibility to others, but the facts are the opposite: he is personally responsible for every document, every word and every piece of information that comes out of his office.”

At the same time, the leader of the National Unity Party of Israel, Benny Gantz said in a post on For better or for worse.”

The scandal is likely to increase “distrust and tensions” between Netanyahu, the military and the intelligence community, Axios said, which have increased in recent months.

(The Palestine Chronicle)

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