4 people arrested from Netanyahu's office in security leak case

JERUSALEM

Israel’s Shin Bet internal security agency has arrested four people, including an aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in connection with a case involving the leaking of security documents from his office, the Israeli Broadcasting Authority said Sunday.

On Friday, Israel’s Haaretz daily reported that an aide in Netanyahu's office leaked information and documents to foreign newspapers, some of which contained outright lies and others sensitive security information.

The broadcasting authority said late Sunday that after a court in Rishon LeTsiyon​​​​​​​ lifted a publication ban, it was allowed to disclose the arrest of four individuals in the security leak case.

The main suspect is Eliezer Feldstein, a Netanyahu aide, whose detention has been extended.

Among those arrested is also an advisor to Netanyahu, although the agency did not name them.

A memo issued by the court said "the investigation into the leak case began after significant suspicion arose at Shabak (Shin Bet) and the military regarding the leaking of sensitive and secret intelligence information from military systems and its illegal disclosure."

The broadcasting authority reported that the leaks from Netanyahu's office raised security concerns about "the potential negative impact on Israel's security and efforts to secure the release of captives in Gaza."

Israeli opposition leaders Yair Lapid and Benny Gantz exploited the leak scandal to launch an attack on Netanyahu's government, which they have been calling on to resign for months.

In a joint press conference, Lapid and Gantz said what occurred was "not a suspected leak, but the disclosure of state secrets for political purposes."

They asserted that "what has been allowed to be published in the context of the security case is enough to destabilize the foundations of the state."

Recently, the US news portal Axios said the scandal involves the leaking of political, security and military documents to the German magazine Bild.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala