Shin Bet Withheld Crucial Information in 'Night Meeting' Probe for Over a Year

The Shin Bet withheld critical information from the police for over a year regarding the investigation into the "Night Meeting" between Prime Minister's Chief of Staff Tzachi Braverman and Eli Feldstein in a subterranean parking lot. This information, revealed by Kan News, pertains to how Braverman allegedly received details about a covert investigation and potential suspects before Feldstein's arrest, potentially enabling him to obstruct the inquiry.

A key question was how the Prime Minister's office learned about the investigation before arrests were made. Police investigation revealed that the Shin Bet, involved in the probe, requested authorization from the Prime Minister for a specific investigative procedure under a gag order. This request was routed through Braverman, thereby informing the Prime Minister's office about the covert investigation's existence.

According to the report, the Shin Bet was aware that this information had reached the Prime Minister's office but failed to inform the investigating police unit. This omission persisted even after Feldstein mentioned receiving information about the investigation from a senior official, following an interview with Kan 11, and after a public investigation began with Braverman being questioned under caution.

Initially, police investigators suspected the covert investigation's details were leaked to Braverman from within the IDF, leading to the questioning of a senior official in the Chief of Staff's office on suspicion of transferring prohibited internal information. The Shin Bet has yet to explain why it waited over a year to provide the information to the police, which ultimately helped connect investigation details and led to a draft indictment.