An aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been accused of leaking classified information to foreign press in an attempt to influence public opinion on hostage negotiations. Eliezer Feldstein was arrested for allegedly disclosing 'classified and sensitive intelligence information,' as per court documents released recently.
The leak reportedly originated when a non-commissioned officer in the Israeli military reserves obtained a 'highly sensitive and classified document' from the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). This document was then shared with Feldstein, who subsequently distributed it to Israeli media outlets in September with the intention of shaping public perception regarding the ongoing hostage negotiations.
Following the announcement by the Israeli military of the deaths of six Israeli hostages in Gaza, including four individuals who were expected to be released, Israeli media faced restrictions from publishing articles related to the leaked document by the country's censorship authorities. In response, Feldstein allegedly chose to circumvent the censorship by releasing the document to foreign media sources.
Two articles published in the United Kingdom's Jewish Chronicle and Germany's Bild in September contained information linked to the leaks, citing Israeli intelligence sources and aligning with a narrative promoted by Netanyahu at the time. Israeli opposition figures, Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz, criticized the alleged leaks as a failure within the government, with Gantz labeling it a 'national crime' and accusing Netanyahu's office of exploiting the leaks for political purposes.
Despite the accusations, a spokesperson for Netanyahu's office denied any leaks from the Prime Minister's Office and clarified that the individual in question had not been involved in security-related discussions. The PMO dismissed claims that the leak had impacted negotiations with Hamas concerning the release of hostages from Gaza, deeming such assertions as 'ridiculous.'
