Israel investigates leaks that appear to have bolstered Netanyahu as Gaza truce talks stalled

TEL AVIV, Israel -- An Israeli tribunal connected Sunday was considering whether to assistance a gag bid connected a lawsuit surrounding suspected leaks of classified accusation from an subordinate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Critics opportunity they were aimed astatine giving him governmental screen arsenic Gaza cease-fire talks crushed to a halt.

Netanyahu has denied immoderate wrongdoing and says nary 1 from his agency has been arrested aliases is nether investigation. He has downplayed nan matter and publically called for nan gag bid to beryllium lifted.

Israeli media reports opportunity nan lawsuit concerns nan leak of classified accusation to 2 European media outlets by an advisor who whitethorn not person been formally employed and did not person information clearance, without naming nan individual.

Netanyahu said nan personification successful mobility “never participated successful information discussions, was not exposed to aliases received classified information, and did not return portion successful concealed visits.”

The leaked documents are said to person formed nan ground of a wide discredited article successful nan London-based Jewish Chronicle — which was later withdrawn — suggesting Hamas planned to tone hostages retired of Gaza done Egypt, and an article successful Germany's Bild newspaper that said Hamas was drafting retired nan talks arsenic a shape of psychological warfare connected Israel.

Israeli media and different observers expressed skepticism astir nan articles, which appeared to support Netanyahu's demands successful nan talks and absolve him of blasted for their failure.

The articles came retired arsenic Netanyahu was calling for lasting Israeli power complete the Philadelphi corridor on nan Gaza-Egypt border, a request that was first made nationalist complete nan summer. Hamas rejected nan request and accused Netanyahu of deliberately sabotaging nan talks, which person been mediated by nan United States, Qatar and Egypt.

The articles besides seemed to supply governmental screen arsenic Netanyahu faced aggravated disapproval from families of nan hostages and overmuch of nan Israeli public, who blasted him for nan nonaccomplishment to scope a deal. The disapproval reached a fever transportation successful early September, with wide protests and calls for a wide strike, aft Hamas killed six hostages arsenic Israeli troops closed successful connected them.

A tribunal archive confirmed that an investigation by police, nan subject and nan Shin Bet soul information agency is underway and that a number of suspects person been arrested for questioning. It said nan matter poses “a consequence to delicate accusation and sources" and "harms nan accomplishment of nan goals of nan warfare successful nan Gaza Strip."

The tribunal will determine connected Sunday whether to assistance a gag bid connected different specifications of nan case.

The leak led to a ungraded astatine nan Jewish Chronicle, wherever salient columnists resigned successful protestation complete nan discredited articles. The London-based newspaper removed nan article successful mobility and others by a freelance journalist, saying it was “not satisfied pinch immoderate of his claims.”

The Bild article suggested Hamas was not superior astir nan negotiations and was utilizing psychological warfare to stoke Israeli divisions. Netanyahu cited it successful a gathering pinch his Cabinet aft it was published.

He again defended nan article successful a connection released complete nan weekend, saying it had “exposed nan Hamas methods of exerting psychological unit from location and overseas connected nan Israeli authorities and nationalist by blaming Israel for nan nonaccomplishment of nan talks to merchandise nan hostages.”

Netanyahu has sought to blasted Hamas, whose Oct. 7, 2023, onslaught into Israel ignited nan war, for nan nonaccomplishment of nan talks. Hamas, which is still holding scores of hostages, has said it will only merchandise them successful speech for a lasting cease-fire, a complete Israeli withdrawal from Gaza and nan merchandise of a ample number of Palestinian prisoners.

Hamas says those demands person not changed pursuing past month's sidesplitting of its apical leader Yahya Sinwar, arsenic nan United States, Egypt and Qatar seek to restart nan negotiations.

Netanyahu, often described by critics arsenic image-obsessed, is connected proceedings for corruption successful 3 abstracted cases, 2 of which impact accusations that he gave favors to media moguls successful speech for affirmative coverage.

His agency has downplayed nan latest matter and accused nan judiciary of bias, citing nan galore different leaks complete nan people of nan war. It has besides denied nan leak successful mobility had immoderate effect connected nan cease-fire talks.

“The archive only helped nan effort to return nan hostages, and surely did not harm it,” Netanyahu's agency said successful a connection Saturday, adding that he only learned astir nan archive erstwhile it was publicized.

His critics opportunity nan allegations are acold much serious.

Yoav Limor, penning successful nan pro-Netanyahu regular Israel Hayom, called it “one of nan gravest affairs Israel has ever known.”

“The harm it caused extends beyond nan realm of nationalist information and gives emergence to suspicion that nan premier minister’s bureau acted to scuttle a hostage deal, contrary to nan war’s objectives.”

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