From the Liveblog of
Wednesday, December 4, 2024
IDF spokesperson says coalition’s ‘Feldstein Law’ would endanger IDF soldiers, harm national security
Emanuel (Mannie) Fabian is The Times of Israel's military correspondent
IDF Spokesman Rear Adm. Daniel Hagari says the coalition’s so-called Feldstein Law is “very dangerous for the IDF and the security of the state.”
The law being advanced by lawmakers would make it impossible for soldiers and other members of the defense establishment to be prosecuted for giving classified intelligence, without authorization, to the prime minister or defense minister.
The proposed law comes in response to charges against Eli Feldstein, a spokesman for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and an unnamed IDF reservist relating to their alleged involvement in the leak of stolen classified intelligence information to the foreign press.
“The IDF does not hide information from the political echelon. The IDF works in accordance with the political echelon for the defense of Israel,” Hagari says in response to a question at a press conference.
“The document in question was accessible to the relevant authorities in the Prime Minister’s Office,” he says, referring to the leaked classified intel.
“This document was stolen from the IDF and was given to a newspaper in Germany in a manner that bypassed the [military] censor. The [intelligence] was revealed to the enemy, and harmed Israel’s security,” Hagari says.
“This law is very dangerous because it will create a situation where any junior official in the IDF can, based on his own personal judgment steal documents or intelligence materials from the IDF,” he continues, claiming the legislation will put the lives of soldiers at risk.
The Times of Israel Community.