5 Israelis arrested for allegedly leaking sensitive intel from PM Netanyahu's office on Hamas

JERUSALEM — Israeli authorities arrested 5 officials, including 4 from a subject quality unit, precocious past week for reportedly disclosing authorities secrets to the overseas media.

An Israeli subject serviceman moving successful the bureau of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was 1 of 5 radical arrested during an probe into leaked classified documents. The officer, identified arsenic 32-year-old Eli Feldstein, worked successful the premier minister’s bureau arsenic a subject spokesperson and was among 5 suspects arrested precocious past week. The names of the different suspects stay nether a gag order, according to Israeli quality bureau TPS.

The Israeli paper Haaretz reported that 4 suspects are from a subject portion tasked with preventing leaks of authorities secrets.

The leaked documents successful question were reportedly written by Hamas. They seemingly were the ground for a study successful the London-based Jewish Chronicle, which reported successful September of a Hamas program to smuggle Israeli hostages retired of Gaza to the Sinai and to transportation them to Iran. The Chronicle later retracted the study and fired the journalist, saying the communicative had been fabricated.

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An Israel Defense Forces vessel rolls done the Netzarim Corridor successful Gaza. (IDF Spokesman's Unit)

The documents besides seemingly served arsenic the ground for a study successful Germany’s popular Bild daily, which suggested Hamas was deliberately drafting retired hostage negotiations to make intelligence unit connected the Israeli government.

Israel’s Channel 12 reported that unnamed sources said the Bild’s September study is "an ongoing danger" to the lives of Israeli soldiers and hostages held successful the Gaza Strip.

According to Israel’s Kan nationalist broadcaster, the documents were not uncovered by Israeli forces successful Gaza, but alternatively by "another benignant of intelligence." The lawsuit risks exposing Israel’s intelligence-gathering methods.

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Feldstein is suspected of receiving the classified documents earlier they were reported successful the Chronicle and Bild along with an mentation that favored Netanyahu, who was nether nationalist unit astatine the clip to scope an statement for a cease-fire and hostage release.

Authorities are besides investigating wherefore Feldstein, who did not person due information clearance, had entree not lone to the documents, but to classified meetings arsenic well.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks astatine the IDF Officers Course Graduation Ceremony astatine the IDF Training Base. (Ma'ayan Toaf, Israel Government Press Office)

Amit Segal, main governmental expert for Israel's Channel 12, told Fox News Digital, "For a year, determination has been an ongoing debate, some openly and down the scenes, betwixt Netanyahu and the apical information constitution regarding the terms to beryllium paid for the hostages. This conflict has been accompanied by leaks, immoderate ineligible and immoderate not. The Shin Bet is presently investigating whether, arsenic portion of this conflict, Netanyahu’s radical crossed the enactment and utilized classified information."

He added, "In my opinion, it volition not alteration thing melodramatic successful Israel’s governmental arena. Netanyahu volition astir apt not beryllium recovered progressive successful the case. It conscionable demonstrates again the mistrust betwixt the PM and the information establishment."

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At a associated property league successful Tel Aviv, absorption enactment leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz questioned whether the leak happened connected Netanyahu’s orders. "Netanyahu’s defence is that helium has nary power oregon power implicit the strategy helium heads. If that’s true, he’s ineligible. He is not qualified to pb the State of Israel successful the astir hard warfare successful its history," Lapid said. "This lawsuit came retired of the Prime Minister’s Office, and the probe should cheque if it was not connected the premier minister’s orders."

Gideon Rahat, a professor in the Department of Political Science astatine the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, echoed Segal’s investigation that the leaks volition not harm Netanyahu. He told Fox News Digital that "Netanyahu is a benignant of populist person and thing volition hap from his hardcore followers. He volition usage it for his ain summation and past accidental the heavy authorities is aft him." 

People, including the families of hostages, locomotion to the beforehand holding "Bring them location now" signs astatine the Israel Day connected Fifth parade connected June 2, 2024 successful New York City. (Adam Gray/Getty Images)

The heavy authorities for Netanyahu, according to Rahat, is Israel’s tribunal system, which Netanyahu views arsenic liberal, and the information work and military.

Rahat said populism encompasses the presumption that "Everything dealing with investigations and trials is against populist leaders." Rahat cited an illustration to amusement differences betwixt the administrations of former Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, a non-populist leader, and Netanyahu. 

Olmert did not person "much occurrence successful the moving of the 2nd Lebanon war" against Hezbollah successful 2006. His enactment astatine the clip was lone 3%, helium noted, adding "When you look astatine his nonaccomplishment it is nothing when compared to October 7."

The 2nd Lebanon warfare started with Hezbollah’s kidnapping of respective Israel Defense Forces soldiers and not with the massacre of astir 1,200 people, Rahat said. Hamas besides kidnapped implicit 250 people.

Rahat noted that Netanyahu has 30% positive enactment and his electoral basal is "still keeping him successful the game."

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Within the discourse of populism, "Politics are seen arsenic antithetic today. Politicians are not seen arsenic liable for what happens nether their rule,"Rahat said.