Ex-Police Official Details Secret Wiretap of Netanyahu Aide

A former senior police official, Shmuel Sharvit, has revealed details about an unauthorized wiretap of Natan Echel, a former chief of staff and close associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The wiretap reportedly lasted for about a month before being halted by leadership, according to Ynet. Sharvit suggested the operation was stopped due to a lack of approval from the attorney general.

Netanyahu's defense team believes the police monitored Echel as part of an effort to gather evidence against the prime minister. During a court hearing, attorney Amit Hadad presented documents showing Echel was considered to be in contact with the "main suspect," which the defense interprets as Netanyahu. Sharvit did not confirm if Echel's conversations with Netanyahu were intercepted, stating only "possibly."

Sharvit explained that if an officer identified a Knesset member as a participant in a wiretapped conversation, the monitoring would cease immediately. He stated that he received an order from then-commander Koresh Barnur to dismantle the listening post after approximately one month, with Barnur reportedly saying, "Koresh told me to dismantle the station after a month. There are problems, remove it."

Sharvit attributed the termination of the surveillance to his understanding that the attorney general had not approved the operation. Netanyahu's lawyers view this as confirmation of alleged illegal police actions, though the legal standing of Echel's wiretapping and its connection to the investigation against the prime minister remain under judicial review. Previously, Netanyahu emotionally accused the prosecution of a politically motivated attack during a Tel Aviv District Court hearing, comparing their methods to East Germany's Stasi secret police.