Qatargate Heats Up
Former IDF Chief Herzi Halevi Summoned to Testify in "Bild" Classified Documents Scandal
A whirlwind of legal developments has hit Israel today, centered on a high-stakes leak investigation at the heart of the Prime Minister’s Office
In a significant development in the investigation into the leak of classified intelligence to the German newspaper Bild, Israeli police confirmed Wednesday that former IDF Chief of Staff Herzi Halevi has been summoned to provide testimony.
Investigating the "Inside Track"
The investigation is currently focused on how senior officials within the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) allegedly obtained sensitive details about a clandestine probe before it became public. Specifically, investigators are looking into the conduct of Tzachi Braverman, the former Chief of Staff to Benjamin Netanyahu and recently appointed Ambassador to the UK.
The probe seeks to determine if internal military secrets regarding the investigation itself were leaked to political figures, potentially allowing them to interfere with the process.
Allegations of Interference: "I Can Put This Out"
The summons follows explosive claims made by Eli Feldstein, the central figure in the affair. Feldstein, who served as a media advisor to Netanyahu, is accused of mishandling classified documents that appeared in the German outlet Bild during the war.
In a recent interview with Kan 11, Feldstein detailed a late-night encounter that has become the focus of the police inquiry:
Feldstein claims Braverman summoned him to the "Kirya" (Defense Ministry Headquarters) in Tel Aviv, meeting him in an underground parking lot at level -4. During this meeting, Braverman allegedly informed Feldstein that the IDF’s Information Security Department (Mahbam) had opened an investigation into the leaks. According to Feldstein, Braverman told him: "I can put this out" (implying he could shut down or "extinguish" the investigation).
Why the Former Chief of Staff?
General (Res.) Herzi Halevi is being asked to testify to clarify when the IDF first identified the security breach and who was updated on the progress of the internal military investigation.
The police are attempting to trace who leaked the leak, identifying the person who provided Braverman with classified updates on a military counter-intelligence operation.
Context: The "Bild" Affair
The scandal involves the leak of a document allegedly written by Hamas leadership, which was used in international media to suggest that Hamas was stalling hostage negotiations. The IDF later clarified that the document was not an official policy paper from Yahya Sinwar, and an investigation was launched to find out how top-secret intelligence reached the PMO and was subsequently leaked to foreign press.