Court issues sweeping gag order in Bild leak affair probe

Authorities have imposed a sweeping gag order on the investigation into the so-called night meeting between former spokesperson for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office Eli Feldstein and Netanyahu’s chief of staff Tzachi Braverman, the Israel Police say.

The order — issued by the Lod District Court and valid until February 22 — covers all future investigative materials and any information that could expose methods or capabilities of the Shin Bet. The decision follows a police appeal against a lower court ruling that had ordered a more limited publication ban.

The Kan public broadcaster reports that Braverman was interrogated for a second time last night by investigators from Lahav 433’s National Fraud Investigations Unit, on suspicion of obstructing justice in a probe into the leak of a classified document to the German newspaper Bild. He was first questioned earlier this month, in an interrogation that reportedly lasted 13 hours.

Investigators are examining whether Braverman received the names of suspects while the leak investigation was still covert and allegedly passed that information to Feldstein, potentially warning him ahead of his arrest.

As part of the probe, testimony has recently been taken from former IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi and, according to Kan, the current Intelligence Directorate chief, Maj. Gen. Shlomi Binder. A senior officer serving in Halevi’s office was also reportedly questioned under caution on suspicion of involvement in the affair.