Israeli ministers advance bill to shield security staff passing classified intel to prime minister

By Zein Khalil

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JERUSALEM (AA) – An Israeli ministerial committee approved a draft law that prevents the prosecution of any officers, soldiers, or employees of the security establishment on charges of transferring classified information to the prime minister, according to Israeli media on Sunday.

The draft law is called the "Feldstein Law”, named after Eli Feldstein, a former security affairs spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Feldstein is currently detained on charges of leaking a sensitive security document to the German newspaper Bild, alongside an officer and a soldier accused of stealing the document from the military intelligence.

The Israeli Ministerial Committee for Legislation approved the draft law, which stipulates that transferring classified information to the prime minister and ministers “does not constitute a criminal offense,” Israel’s Channel 13 reported.

According to Israeli daily Yedioth Ahronoth, the law grants immunity from prosecution to members of the security establishment (the military, the General Security Service Shin Bet, and the external intelligence service Mossad) who disclose classified information to the prime minister.

Israeli Attorney General, Gali Baharav-Miara, for her part, announced her opposition to the draft law.

“There is serious concern that this is personal legislation, aimed at improper political interference in a criminal proceeding concerning those close to the prime minister,” Baharav-Miara said in a statement.

The draft law is set to be referred to the Knesset (parliament) for a vote in three readings in order to become legally binding.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala