A former military spokesman to ex-prime minister Eli Feldstein, who is currently accused of passing classified information with the intent to harm state security, made a series of explosive allegations in an interview broadcast Monday on Kan 11.
In an interview with journalist Omri Assenheim, Feldstein claimed that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman, had prior knowledge of a sensitive investigation into the leak of classified information to the German newspaper Bild and said he could halt it.
Eli Feldstein, former spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claimed on Tuesday that Netanyahu had full knowledge of a classified document leaked to the German newspaper Bild and stood behind its publication.
In an interview broadcast on Kan 11, Feldstein alleged that the leak could not have occurred without the prime minister’s awareness and approval. “In order to release such a document, the prime minister needs to be in the picture — from beginning to end,” he said.
According to Feldstein, he later discussed the publication directly with Netanyahu, who, he claimed, expressed satisfaction with the outcome. “The prime minister acknowledged the publication, said it was very important, and thanked me,” Feldstein said. Asked how much Netanyahu knew about the leak, Feldstein replied: “He knew everything.”
Allegations Involving Senior Advisers
Feldstein also addressed the role of Netanyahu’s adviser Yonatan Urich, claiming that Urich was fully aware of the document’s origin and purpose.
“Urich knows everything I knew — where the document came from, what its source is, why it doesn’t work. He knows everything,” Feldstein said.
He did not deny that the decision to leak the document to foreign media was intended to circumvent Israeli military censorship, calling it a “known practice.”
“The Boss Is Happy”
Feldstein said the leak was carried out in service of Netanyahu and cited communications with Urich following the publication.
“When Urich realized I wasn’t answering him, he wrote to me: ‘Take your time, the boss is happy,’” Feldstein said, referring to a message allegedly sent shortly after the article was published.
He added that he later discussed the publication and its impact with Urich, including feedback Urich said he received from Netanyahu. “I understood that I had fulfilled the task that was assigned to me,” Feldstein said.
Legal Proceedings and Classified Documents Case
At a Supreme Court hearing, Feldstein’s lawyer, Oded Saburai, stated that Netanyahu was aware of the leak of classified information from the IDF Intelligence Directorate.
According to Saburai, after a press conference held by Netanyahu following the killing of six Israeli hostages in Rafah, Feldstein whispered to the prime minister that he possessed a similar, more up-to-date document sourced from military intelligence and was working with Urich to publish it.
An indictment in the classified documents case was filed in November 2024 against Feldstein and reservist Ari Rosenfeld. However, proceedings have stalled due to the ongoing investigation into Urich, who is suspected of working with Feldstein to extract raw classified information from IDF systems.
The Attorney General has stated that the information involved was highly classified and obtained through sensitive intelligence means, warning that its exposure could endanger state security and human lives.
Alleged Motive Behind the Leak
According to the investigation, members of the security establishment illegally removed sensitive material from IDF systems and passed it to Feldstein. Investigators believe Feldstein then transferred the information to foreign media in an effort to influence Israeli public opinion against protests calling for a hostage deal, arguing such demonstrations weakened negotiations and strengthened Hamas.
The document was reportedly passed to Bild via Israel Einhorn.
Judicial Criticism of Case Delays
Urich was first questioned in the case in November 2024. In December, Tel Aviv District Court Judge Alaa Masarwa said Urich’s role in the affair “is not insignificant” and runs “like a second thread” through the indictment.
In recent weeks, Haaretz reported that law enforcement authorities acted sluggishly in investigating Urich, granting him leniencies that may have significantly reduced his legal exposure, absent evidence gathered in a separate Qatar-related investigation.
Restrictions Lifted as Case Stalls
Approximately two weeks ago, the Tel Aviv District Court lifted the restrictive conditions imposed on Feldstein and Rosenfeld, citing the prolonged stagnation of the case. Judge Masarwa said the proceedings did not appear likely to advance “in the foreseeable future.”
Prime Minister Netanyahu and his advisers have repeatedly denied any involvement in or prior knowledge of the alleged leak.
Comments