Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara placed Prime Minister Netanyahu as the 80th and final witness on the prosecution list in the "Bild leak" case, according to Israeli media. The move bars Likud campaign strategist Jonatan Urich from contacting any witnesses, effectively sidelining him days before the election.
Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has placed Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on the prosecution's witness list in the classified leak case (the "Bild affair"), according to Israeli media reports. Netanyahu is listed as the 80th and final witness, a designation that the prosecution argues prohibits his campaign strategist, Jonatan Urich, from having any contact with witnesses — effectively barring Urich from managing the Likud election campaign days before the vote.
As The Zioneer reported earlier, Baharav-Miara had already sought a court order barring Urich from the Likud campaign and banning Netanyahu from speaking with witnesses. The addition of Netanyahu as a witness — despite him not having been questioned or given testimony on the matter — is described by critics as an unusual and politically charged step. The prosecution's witness list also includes the IDF Chief of Staff and Shin Bet director, but the prime minister's inclusion is highly rare.
The move has drawn sharp criticism. Commentators note that all 79 witnesses before Netanyahu were involved in the case, questioned, or testified; Netanyahu alone was added without having been investigated for the leak. The attorney general's request is the latest escalation in a tense pre-election standoff between the legal system and the political echelon.
2 developments
- DevelopingAG seeks gag order barring Netanyahu from speaking with witnesses — Amit Segal
- DevelopingLikud MK Bitan accuses Netanyahu of leaking during internal meeting, warns against 'political elimination' of MKs
- DevelopingProsecution made at least 10 attempts to take PM Netanyahu's testimony in 'Bild' affair
- StrongProsecution tells court Netanyahu aide Yonatan Urich sought to tilt public discourse on hostages
Source and signal
- Open-source intake