Former Netanyahu Aide Slams Media Over Bot Security Breach Claims

Shlomo Filber, a former director-general of the Prime Minister's Office and a close associate of Benjamin Netanyahu, has strongly criticized Israeli media coverage of a purported security breach involving a bot operated by Yonatan Urich, a Likud party employee. Filber asserted on Monday that the bot collects publicly available information and is not connected to classified data, contrary to media reports.

"Look how much of a trash heap journalists in Israel are. For two days they've been ranting about a 'security breach' in Urich's bot," Filber wrote, adding that Urich, as a Likud employee who also works with classified individuals, is restricted from accessing certain areas within the Prime Minister's Office, similar to how journalists or delivery personnel would be.

Filber further explained that sensitive information within the Prime Minister's Office is managed by the Military Secretary, and even the director-general requires authorization to access classified material. He stated that these systems are not connected to Urich's bot. The information collected by the bot, according to Filber, comes from open sources, including "all the nonsense, spins, and lies that journalists publish online and on the channels about the elections, free material that is visible to everyone, and not secret at all."

He also argued that individuals with security clearances do not use such communication methods for sensitive matters, stating, "Neither Netanyahu, nor the Defense Minister, nor anyone with a security clearance communicates via WhatsApp with a spokesperson, driver, or assistant on sensitive security matters."

Filber then shifted to discuss the investigation of Urich, alleging that the "security breach" was actually committed by "representatives of the rule of law." He claimed that police and investigators illegally planted Pegasus spyware and searched Urich's phone without a warrant.

Concluding his remarks, Filber referenced former Shin Bet chief Yossi Cohen, former IDF Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, and former Prime Ministers Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid, suggesting they are aware of such procedures from their past roles. He accused them of engaging in incitement and bloodshed, with the "press remaining silent."