Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu responded sharply this morning (Monday) to the announcement by the Legal Advisor to the Government, Attorney Gali Baharav-Miara, regarding the intention to prosecute his advisor Yonatan Urich, following the classified documents leak affair.
According to Netanyahu, "The disgraceful announcement by the Legal Advisor to the Government regarding the intention to prosecute Yonatan Urich, especially at this time, is a miserable decision that raises serious questions."
He further stated, "I am familiar with the details, and I state clearly and unequivocally: There was no harm to national security. Yonatan did not harm national security."
Netanyahu added, "This is an absurd, baseless move - intended to serve another agenda, not the public's interest."
Yesterday, Baharav-Miara announced that she had decided to file an indictment subject to a hearing against Urich. The State Attorney's Office informed Urichthat his criminal prosecution is being considered, subject to a hearing, in the "Bild" case, on a series of serious national security offenses.
According to the announcement by the Legal Advisor to the Government and the State Attorney, Amit Isman, the allegations against Urich include passing on a secret document with the intention of harming national security, possessing a secret document, and destroying evidence.
It is claimed that Urich, together with Eli Feldstein, extracted highly classified intelligence information from IDF systems. This was raw information obtained through covert means, and its exposure, according to suspicions, could have jeopardized national security and even human lives. It is also claimed that the two attempted to influence public perception regarding the Prime Minister and skew the public discourse surrounding the murder of the six hostages in August 2024, by publishing the classified information.
Urich's attorneys, Amit Hadad and Noa Milstein, stated: "Yonatan Urich denies all the allegations against him. Urich has never held or passed on a secret document, and certainly did not harm national security. This is an absurd charge sheet that comes at a very specific timing - his innocence will be proven beyond any doubt."
