The case involving Eliezer Feldstein, an aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, is currently causing a stir in Israel. According to court documents released Sunday, Feldstein allegedly leaked classified information to the foreign press in an attempt to influence public opinion on hostage negotiations. His arrest this month has cast a harsh light on issues of national security and government transparency.
The case began when the IDF reserve officer obtained a highly sensitive and classified document from the Israel Defense Forces. The document was then passed to Feldstein in April, and was released to Israeli media in September. However, Israeli censorship authorities prevented the publication of articles about the leaked document. It was then that Feldstein decided to circumvent the censorship and publish the document in foreign media.
Two articles published in September, one in the UK’s Jewish Chronicle and the other in Germany’s Bild, reported on information from the leaks. The revelations supported Netanyahu’s narrative at the time, creating political tensions within the Israeli establishment. Opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz have been highly critical of the affair, calling the leaks a “national crime” and accusing Netanyahu’s office of orchestrating the disclosures.
Netanyahu’s spokesman denied any involvement of his office in the leaks and said the person in question had never participated in security discussions. He also downplayed the leaks’ impact on ongoing negotiations with Hamas over the release of the Gaza hostages.
In this tense political atmosphere, the Feldstein affair raises major questions about transparency and accountability in the Israeli government. The insinuations of political manipulation for personal gain are serious and deserve to be examined in depth to ensure the credibility of the institutions in place.