From the Liveblog of
Sunday, January 18, 2026
Police appeal court decision not to bar Netanyahu’s chief of staff from PM’s office
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleJeremy Sharon is The Times of Israel’s legal affairs and settlements reporter
The police file an appeal to the Lod-Central District Court against a decision by the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court on Thursday not to bar the prime minister’s chief of staff Tzachi Braverman and his senior aide Jonatan Urich from the Prime Minister’s Office or keep other restrictive conditions on them.
Braverman was questioned Sunday over allegations that he said he could quash an investigation into the leak of classified documents to German tabloid Bild in 2024, a claim made by Eli Feldstein, a former aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu who has been indicted over his role in the affair.
Urich is a key suspect in the Bild and Qatargate affairs, and the police have sought to keep him from having contact with Netanyahu and returning to work at the Prime Minister’s Office to prevent any possible obstruction of justice.
The Times of Israel Community.