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Protest Leader Slams Political Commentator Amidst Data Leak Scandal
Alleged private WhatsApp conversations between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's advisor, Yonatan Urich, and Channel 12 commentator Amit Segal were leaked online on Sunday. The materials, which were distributed on pirate websites, Telegram, and WhatsApp groups by hackers, reportedly show Segal discussing the Likud campaign and offering advice on improving Netanyahu's speeches.
6 newsrooms · 1 language · since
What happened
- 01Alleged private WhatsApp messages between Prime Minister's advisor Yonatan Urich and Channel 12 commentator Amit Segal were leaked online on Sunday.
- 02The leaked conversations reportedly show Segal discussing the Likud campaign and offering advice on improving Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's speeches.
- 03Amit Segal addressed the leak on Channel 12 News, describing journalist-source relationships as a tango involving opinion and information exchanges.
- 04Segal stated that many individuals he covered over the years have provided him with draft speeches and consulted him on political campaigns.
- 05He condemned the phone hacking as a criminal act and vowed to pursue those responsible if his own phone were breached.
- 06Segal warned that similar or more extreme communications would be found on the phones of campaign managers across all political parties.
- 07The specific content of the leaked communications was not published due to Israeli privacy laws prohibiting the publication of hacked personal material.
Speaking on Channel 12 News, Segal addressed the leak for the first time, describing the relationship between a journalist and a source as a delicate tango that involves exchanges of both information and opinions. He stated that Urich is absolutely not the only source with whom he has had such exchanges, noting that over the years, many individuals he covered have given him draft speeches and consulted him on political campaigns.
Segal condemned the phone breach as a terrible, criminal act and vowed to take action against anyone who disseminates his own communications if his phone is breached. He warned that similar leaks could affect politicians across the entire political spectrum before upcoming elections, asserting that similar or more extreme communications would be found on the phones of campaign managers from any political faction.
Under Israeli privacy laws, the unlawful publication of personal material hacked from a citizen's phone is prohibited. Consequently, the specific content of the leaked communications was not published by the reporting outlets.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 4 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: Srugim. Read Srugim’s originalThe coverage
6 newsrooms on this story
Who covered it
- Left1
- CentreNone
- Right3
- Haredi1
- ArabNone
- Other1
Not in the Centre or Arab press
