New leak scandal rocks Netanyahu’s office as 2 officials under investigation: Israeli media

By Said Amori

JERUSALEM (AA) – Two senior officials in Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office are under investigation for their potential involvement in leaking sensitive material from security cameras, local media outlets reported Thursday.

The Ynet news site reported that associates of Netanyahu gathered surveillance camera footage of a scuffle between Defense Minister Yoav Gallant and security staff at the Prime Minister’s Office.

The video footage was reportedly gathered with the intention of using it to discredit Gallant, who Netanyahu fired this week, citing a lack of mutual trust during a time of war.

Netanyahu's office denied reports of leaked materials, labeling them "defamation.”

On Sunday, the Israeli newspaper Haaretz published details of a scandal involving Netanyahu related to the appointment of a spokesperson who took part in "sensitive security sessions."

The spokesperson was appointed "although he had not passed a security clearance," it said.

The latest security scandal comes as Netanyahu's government is facing a series of political and security crises, including the dismissal of Gallant, which has triggered significant opposition, as well as Israel’s intensifying assaults on Gaza and Lebanon.

Israel has continued a devastating offensive on Gaza since an attack by the Palestinian group Hamas on Oct. 7, 2023, killing nearly 43,500 people and rendering the enclave almost uninhabitable.

Israel faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its actions in the blockaded enclave.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala