Main suspect in Israel leak scandal sought to sway public opinion on hostage swap deal: Report

By Said Amori

JERUSALEM (AA) – The main suspect in security leaks involving Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office, sought to influence public opinion regarding a hostage swap deal with Palestinians, the Israeli media said on Sunday.

Eli Feldstein, a spokesman who worked with Netanyahu, is accused of stealing and leaking classified documents to foreign media.

The Israeli public broadcaster KAN said that an indictment is expected to be filed against him by Thursday.

According to investigations into the case, Feldstein obtained classified documents from an Israeli army officer and another soldier, both of whom are under arrest and being interrogated.

KAN said Feldstein leaked the classified documents to foreign media to influence public opinion regarding a prisoner swap deal with Palestinian factions after he failed to leak the documents to local media due to military censorship.

The investigations also found that the main suspect used an intermediary to leak the documents to foreign media.

The charges against Feldstein include publishing highly confidential documents to sway public opinion in Israel regarding the prisoner swap deal with Palestinian factions in Gaza.

The investigations disclosed that Feldstein acted illegally following the death of six Israeli hostages in August, which triggered widespread protests against Netanyahu’s government.

He sought to change the public narrative by blaming slain Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar for sabotaging the potential deal and holding him responsible for the hostages’ deaths, KAN said.

In early November, the Israeli daily Haaretz reported that Shin Bet domestic security agency was conducting an investigation into the leak of classified documents to the German newspaper Bild two months ago following the hostage deaths.

At that time, Hamas announced that the hostages were killed by Israeli army fire, and repeatedly accused Netanyahu of sabotaging efforts to reach an agreement for a hostage swap and a cease-fire.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala