Israel: Netanyahu’s aide faces indictment for information leak

Israel’s attorney general announced that an aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces indictment for allegedly leaking top-secret military data, according to Asharq al-Awsat via Reuters on July 14th.

Jonathan Urich, a close adviser to Netanyahu, has denied the allegations, which have been under investigation since late last year.

Netanyahu has dismissed the accusations against Urich and other aides as politically-driven, insisting on July 14th that Urich did not compromise state security. Reuters also reported on July 14th that Urich’s lawyers described the case as baseless and said his innocence would be easily proven.

However, Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara stated on July 13th that Urich, along with another aide, unlawfully leaked classified military information to Bild, a German newspaper. The alleged aim was to influence public opinion over the deaths of six Israeli hostages in Gaza in August 2024 and to improve Netanyahu’s standing.

The deaths of the hostages triggered public outrage, with Netanyahu accused of derailing ceasefire talks, already on fragile ground, for political gain. Netanyahu has repeatedly denied this, blaming Hamas for the collapse of negotiations, while the group claimed otherwise.

According to a defence official, four of the six killed hostages had been listed among over 30 captives due for release if a ceasefire had been reached.

The Bild article, published after the hostages were found dead in a Hamas tunnel in south Gaza, detailed Hamas’ position in the indirect ceasefire talks and largely echoed Netanyahu’s accusations against the group.

Following the investigation, Bild stated that it does not comment on its sources and that its reporting is based on verified documents. The newspaper did not comment on July 14th.

Earlier this year, a two-month ceasefire was reached, including the release of 38 captives before Israel resumed military operations in Gaza. Indirect negotiations are now underway again in Doha, seeking to reach a new truce.

In his July 14th statement, Netanyahu condemned the attorney general’s decision as “appalling” and questioned its timing. His government has long sought Baharav-Miara’s dismissal, as the general was appointed under the previous administration. The attorney general has clashed with Netanyahu’s cabinet over the legality of several government policies.

Asharq al-Awsat, Reuters, Maghrebi.org