Netanyahu's Office Clashes With Ofer Winter Over Legal Representation
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office is reportedly in a sharp conflict with former commander Ofer Winter, whose political entry is expected to aid the right-wing bloc. The dispute centers on Winter advising Eli Feldstein, a former PM spokesperson arrested in October 2024, to reject Netanyahu's lawyer Amit Haddad and hire Oded Sabari instead. This move has reportedly led to legal complications for Netanyahu's close associate Yonatan Urikh and has caused significant friction within the Prime Minister's circle.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Netanyahu's office is reportedly clashing with Ofer Winter over his political entry.
- Winter advised Eli Feldstein, arrested in October 2024, to reject PM's lawyer Amit Haddad.
- Winter recommended attorney Oded Sabari, who then represented Feldstein.
- Feldstein's legal strategy reportedly entangled Netanyahu associate Yonatan Urikh.
- The conflict persists despite Winter's support for Netanyahu and electoral benefits for the right.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office is reportedly engaged in a fierce struggle against Ofer Winter, a former commander whose entry into the Knesset is projected to benefit the right-wing bloc, according to polls. The primary reason for this opposition stems from Winter's intervention in the legal representation of Eli Feldstein, a former spokesperson for the Prime Minister, who was arrested on October 27, 2024, in connection with leaking classified documents to the German newspaper Bild.
Winter, who served as a spiritual mentor to Feldstein during their military service, advised Feldstein's parents to reject Prime Minister Netanyahu's lawyer, Amit Haddad, and instead hire attorney Oded Sabari. Winter reportedly told Feldstein's father that Haddad would prioritize Netanyahu's interests over his son's and that Sabari was a more independent choice who would ensure the truth emerged.
Feldstein's parents followed Winter's advice and hired Sabari. Sabari's subsequent legal strategy and public statements reportedly angered Netanyahu's inner circle, leading to a shift in their public stance towards Feldstein. Sabari instructed Feldstein to tell the truth during interrogations without protecting others involved, a directive that directly impacted close Netanyahu associate Yonatan Urikh.
Urikh, when questioned about why Feldstein would lie, suggested it was due to incorrect advice from his lawyer. This legal strategy has reportedly entangled Urikh, who is considered Netanyahu's closest confidant, in a complex investigation related to the Bild affair and the "Qatargate" scandal. The Prime Minister's office is said to be unforgiving of Winter's actions, despite Winter's public declarations of support for Netanyahu and the potential electoral benefit to the right-wing bloc if Winter were to pass the electoral threshold.
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