Israeli police detained PM Netanyahu’s chief of staff Tzachi Braverman over alleged obstruction in a classified intelligence leak probe linked to Bild.
Police also summoned Omer Mansour, a spokesperson in the Prime Minister’s Office, to provide testimony as part of the same investigation. (Photo: AFP)
Israeli police on Sunday detained Tzachi Braverman, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief of staff, for questioning in connection with an investigation into the leak of classified intelligence that was later published by German tabloid Bild. Authorities suspect Braverman attempted to obstruct the probe into the sensitive leak, which involved confidential military assessments related to the Gaza war.
The police initially withheld the suspect’s identity, confirming only that a “senior official in the Prime Minister’s Office” had been detained. Hebrew media outlets later identified the official as Braverman, one of Netanyahu’s closest aides and a central figure in the prime minister’s inner circle.
“This morning, a senior official in the Prime Minister’s Office has been detained by Lahav 433 officers on suspicion of obstructing investigative procedures,” police said in a statement.
Officers from the Lahav 433 major crimes unit, Israel’s elite anti-corruption and serious crimes squad, searched Braverman’s home during the early morning hours. Investigators seized his phone and questioned him for several hours at the unit’s headquarters in Lod.
Police also summoned Omer Mansour, a spokesperson in the Prime Minister’s Office, to provide testimony as part of the same investigation. Authorities are examining whether any attempts were made to interfere with or suppress the inquiry into the intelligence leak.
Tzachi Braverman is one of the most powerful yet discreet figures in Israeli politics. He has served for years as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Chief of Staff, a position that places him at the heart of government coordination, crisis management, and sensitive security deliberations.
Unlike elected politicians, Braverman has largely stayed out of the public spotlight while wielding significant influence behind the scenes.
Before assuming the chief of staff role, Braverman held senior administrative positions within the Prime Minister’s Office, earning a reputation as a loyal and efficient operator. His long association with Netanyahu and access to top-level information led to his recent appointment as Israel’s next ambassador to the United Kingdom, a key diplomatic post that now faces scrutiny amid the ongoing investigation.
The interrogation followed explosive claims made by Eli Feldstein, Netanyahu’s former spokesman, who is already indicted in the leak case. Feldstein alleged that Braverman knew about a covert investigation into the leak months before it became public.
In an interview with Kan public broadcaster, Feldstein said Braverman met him late at night in an underground parking lot at the Kirya military headquarters. According to Feldstein, Braverman warned that the investigation had reached the Prime Minister’s Office and urged him to disclose any involvement, assuring him that he could “shut it down.”
Following these statements, police formally expanded the investigation. Feldstein is expected to give further testimony, and investigators may arrange a face-to-face confrontation between him and Braverman.
Braverman’s detention has triggered sharp political reactions, particularly because he is slated to become Israel’s ambassador to the United Kingdom in the coming months.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid called for an immediate freeze on the appointment. “It cannot be that a man suspected of involvement in obstructing a serious security investigation will be the face of Israel in one of the most important countries in Europe,” he wrote.
Civil society group Movement for Quality Government in Israel echoed the demand, arguing that the role “demands complete public trust.”
However, Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar rejected the calls, defending Braverman’s appointment. He said Braverman “was lawfully appointed to the position of Israel’s Ambassador to the United Kingdom. His appointment passed all the required stages.” Sa’ar added that “harming an individual—whether in their employment or in their official role—at the preliminary stage of an investigation is inconsistent with the fundamental values of human and civil rights.”
Police later released Braverman under restrictive conditions, including a temporary travel ban and limits on contact with individuals connected to the case. Authorities stress that the investigation is still ongoing, and no charges have been filed so far.
As scrutiny intensifies, the case has raised serious questions about national security leaks, accountability within the Prime Minister’s Office, and the future of Israel’s diplomatic representation abroad.
