From Lapid calls for probe of Netanyahu chief of staff before he assumes UK ambassadorship
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleAriela Karmel is a political correspondent at The Times of Israel. She previously reported for Calcalist and Haaretz. She holds an MA in Middle Eastern and African History from Tel Aviv University and a BA in Political Science from the University of British Columbia.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid calls for an investigation into Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman, before he becomes Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom.
Speaking in an interview with the Kan public broadcaster, Lapid says: “Someone needs to make sure he is not involved in the affair as the reports suggest,” referring to allegations raised by the prime minister’s former aide Eli Feldstein, who has been indicted over the Bild leak affair.
Feldstein alleged during a lengthy interview with the Kan public broadcaster this week that Netanyahu was behind the leak of classified intelligence to the German daily Bild to sway Israeli public opinion regarding ongoing hostage negotiations last year.
He further alleged that Braverman got wind of the secret investigation into Feldstein’s leak to Bild months before it was publicized and assured Feldstein that he’d be able to quash the probe, as well as stop an investigation regarding IDF information security if Feldstein needed it.
Both the Prime Minister’s Office and Braverman have denied Feldstein’s allegations and accused him of lying.
Feldstein is also a suspect in the Qatargate affair, in which several top aides to the premier are accused of having done work on behalf of Qatar, where Hamas’s leadership is based, while they were in Netanyahu’s employ.
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