Netanyahu to testify in classified leak probe

Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has decided to call Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to provide testimony in an ongoing investigation concerning the alleged leaking of classified documents. Israel’s public broadcaster KAN reported that a date for Netanyahu’s questioning has yet to be set.

Focus on prime minister’s office

The investigation is examining how sensitive information was allegedly obtained from the Prime Minister’s Office and later transferred to the German newspaper Bild. Authorities are reportedly seeking clarification from Netanyahu regarding internal procedures and access to classified material. A court-issued gag order remains in place, preventing disclosure of specific details about how the documents were sourced prior to publication.

Allegations of obstruction

Central to the case is Netanyahu’s chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman, who has previously been detained on suspicion of attempting to obstruct the investigation into the leak. Braverman is considered a key figure within the prime minister’s inner circle, overseeing sensitive files and strategic communications. Police received formal authorization from the attorney general to summon Netanyahu as part of the inquiry.

Spokesperson re-summoned

Former Netanyahu spokesperson Eli Feldstein has also been called again to testify. Feldstein was earlier arrested in connection with the case and has alleged that he was invited to a late-night meeting during the Gaza conflict, where an arrangement was proposed to prevent a security investigation targeting the Prime Minister’s Office.

According to the investigation file, Feldstein is suspected of attempting in 2024 to leak a classified document to Bild with the aim of shaping public opinion amid protests linked to hostage exchange negotiations in the Gaza Strip. He reportedly argued that demonstrations were undermining negotiations and strengthening Hamas. The investigation remains ongoing.