Police on Tuesday urged the Lod District Court to bar Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s senior adviser Yonatan Urich from the Prime Minister’s Office and from contact with Netanyahu himself, arguing that investigators have yet to determine the full scope of suspected obstruction and the handling of classified information in the so-called Bild leak affair.
The appeal was heard a day after the district court reversed an earlier decision by Magistrate’s Court President Judge Menachem Mizrahi and reinstated restrictive conditions on Prime Minister’s Office chief of staff Tzachi Braverman, including his removal from the office and a prohibition on contact with PMO personnel and with Netanyahu. Police say similar restrictions are required in Urich’s case to prevent interference with an investigation they describe as ongoing and sensitive.
During the hearing, police revealed that on the night of the disputed late-night meeting at the Kirya military headquarters, former Prime Minister’s Office spokesman Eli Feldstein attempted to contact Urich several times after Braverman urgently asked him to come to the meeting, but Urich did not answer. Investigators further alleged that Urich committed destruction of evidence by deleting his phone, and said a sweeping no-contact order is necessary “until we examine the role of all those involved.”
Urich was questioned under caution on Monday on suspicion of obstructing the investigation into the leak of a classified IDF intelligence document to the German newspaper Bild. According to Channel 13, Feldstein told investigators he had informed Urich in advance about the meeting and its contents, claims Urich denied during his interrogation, which ended after a short time.
The Bild affair centers on the September 2024 leak of a classified military intelligence assessment concerning Hamas’s negotiating position, which investigators allege was disseminated without authorization and without approval from the military censor. As previously reported, authorities are examining whether the document was leaked to influence public discourse during the war, and whether political figures or their aides were involved in its dissemination or subsequent handling.
Police have also pointed to messages presented as part of the investigation indicating that Urich was allegedly aware that Feldstein had a source within Military Intelligence: Reservist Ari Rosenfeld. Channel 13 reported that in an August 1, 2024, exchange, Feldstein forwarded Urich a message he had received from Rosenfeld, referencing an urgent matter, after which Feldstein wrote to Urich that he and another individual were “doing something problematic.”
Additional arguments raised by the police at the hearing included claims that Urich held senior authority over Feldstein and served as a gatekeeper for stories emerging from the Prime Minister’s Office. According to the police, this hierarchy heightens concerns about obstruction and coordination.
Urich attorney rejects allegations, claims Urich not guilty of obstruction
Urich’s attorney, Amit Hadad, rejected the allegations, arguing that Urich is not formally suspected of obstruction and that police are seeking restrictive conditions without a sufficient legal basis. Hadad contended that even under Feldstein’s version of events - which he described as unreliable - no criminal offense was committed. He further argued that deleting a phone does not, in itself, constitute obstruction.
Tense exchanges took place during the hearing between Hadad and District Court Judge Yaakov Spasser, including a dispute over whether contacts Feldstein allegedly initiated regarding a potential state-witness arrangement should be addressed. Spasser ruled that the matter was not relevant to the appeal.
Beyond the immediate proceedings, the investigation continues to widen. Channel 13 reported that an officer who previously served as an aide to former IDF chief of staff Herzi Halevi was questioned on suspicion of involvement in the leak and in obstruction of the investigation, though he denied any connection. Investigators are examining whether sensitive details from within the security establishment were relayed to Braverman, amid concerns the affair may extend beyond the PMO.
The Bild affair runs parallel to the Qatargate investigation, which examined allegations of foreign influence involving Netanyahu associates during the war. Earlier this month, police announced that the Qatargate file had been transferred to prosecutors for review, as authorities continue weighing potential indictments and further investigative steps.
A ruling on the police appeal regarding Urich’s conditions was expected later Tuesday.