Blackmail allegations against Netanyahu's chief of staff

It has been alleged that Tzachi Braverman, Chief of Staff to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, blackmailed a military official to gain access to meeting minutes. Braverman denied the allegations and threatened to initiate legal action.

BLACKMAIL WITH PRIVATE FOOTAGE TO OBTAIN MEETING MINUTES

In a report by Haaretz, it was claimed that Braverman "resorted to blackmail" to obtain the minutes of meetings held between Netanyahu and Major General Gil after October 7, when attacks on Gaza began, while Braverman denied the allegations against him. According to the report, Israeli police are investigating claims that Prime Minister's Office staff used "sensitive footage" of a senior military official to access and alter minutes stored in the military secretariat. No suspects have been questioned so far regarding the police investigation.

"FOOTAGE WAS OBTAINED FROM SECURITY CAMERAS AT THE PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE"

While the name of Netanyahu's Chief of Staff Braverman was explicitly mentioned in the initial report by Israeli state broadcaster KAN regarding the allegations, it was claimed that the "sensitive footage" allegedly used for blackmail was obtained from security cameras at the Prime Minister's Office and that Prime Minister's Office staff were permitted to view the recording.

"A LIE FROM START TO FINISH"

Denying the allegations, Braverman stated, "The serious allegations that I possess documents of any official or that I attempted to blackmail anyone are false. This is a lie from start to finish and is intended to harm me and the Prime Minister's Office in the middle of a war." Braverman threatened to take legal action against KAN if they did not remove the report. Furthermore, Braverman demanded a public apology and approximately 26,700 dollars in compensation due to the published report.

COMPLAINT FILED WITH THE GENERAL STAFF TWO MONTHS AGO

In a report published on November 8 by Israeli state broadcaster KAN, it was claimed that a complaint was filed with the Israeli General Staff two months ago alleging that the Prime Minister's Office was in possession of "sensitive and personal footage" of an Israeli military official. The report alleged that the complaint was filed due to concerns that the military official had previously worked at the Prime Minister's Office and that the footage in question was being kept with "malicious intent."

The Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper reported on November 8 that an investigation had also been launched into alleged alterations made to the minutes of a cabinet meeting that addressed preparations for hearings regarding Israel at the International Court of Justice in The Hague. In a report dated July 10, the newspaper claimed that Major General Gil had informed Israeli Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, whom he had contacted a few months prior, that the Prime Minister's Office was attempting to alter certain details in the minutes in question.

NETANYAHU'S FORMER AIDE HAD BEEN DETAINED

Another investigation is being conducted simultaneously regarding allegations that sensitive intelligence documents belonging to the Israeli military were leaked to the foreign press by the Israeli Prime Minister's Office. Reports in the Israeli press noted that the investigation concerns the unauthorized transfer, distortion, and leaking of sensitive intelligence documents belonging to the Israeli military to the media. Five people, including Eliezer Feldstein, a former aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, were detained in the investigation into the incident.

It was understood that documents, which were allegedly altered and belonged to Hamas, were served to the foreign press by the Prime Minister's Office in order to manipulate public opinion. The documents served to the foreign press were published in the German newspaper Bild and the UK-based The Jewish Chronicle.

In its report based on the documents, The Jewish Chronicle claimed that according to documents allegedly seized by the Israeli military in Gaza, Yahya Sinwar was planning to escape Gaza via Egypt along with Israeli hostages. According to the report in the Bild newspaper, the documents seized by Israeli forces in Gaza stated that Hamas planned to prolong hostage exchange and ceasefire negotiations as much as possible as a psychological warfare tactic.

The Israeli press commented that the incident "caused great concern and anger in the Israeli security establishment and that it is predicted to increase tension between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his close associates and military officials."

News Source: 12punto