State Attorney Opposes Plea Deal for PM Netanyahu’s Advisor Jonathan Urich in Security Leak Case

Jonathan Urich, an advisor to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, faces serious security-related charges including unauthorized disclosure of classified information, possession of secret materials, and evidence tampering. The indictment reveals a scheme to bypass military censorship and official information channels to influence public discourse, involving the transfer of a highly classified Hamas strategy document. The document was leaked through a chain including reserve officer Rosenfeld, Eli Feldstein, and Urich, culminating in a controversial publication by Germany’s Bild newspaper in September 2024.

Following the leak, Urich and associates drafted a government statement that was later read by Netanyahu, based on classified intelligence. A key allegation against Urich is the destruction of evidence: after arrests in late October 2024, Urich replaced his phone and deliberately avoided transferring message histories, while others deleted WhatsApp conversations to obstruct judicial proceedings.

Central District Attorney Haim Vismonsky reached a plea agreement with Urich’s defense, proposing nine months of community service. This was supported by the Government Legal Adviser Gali Baharav-Miara but strongly opposed and vetoed by State Attorney Amit Isman, who demanded a 12-month prison sentence. Urich rejected the harsher terms, and negotiations collapsed. Both legal offices denied the media reports as false.

The investigation was conducted by Israel’s Lahav 433 police unit. The case exposes a breach within Netanyahu’s inner circle, highlighting the security risks posed by the leak during wartime and the potential for long-term imprisonment of a close confidant of the Prime Minister.