Netanyahu’s Office Uses Leaks as Control While Shin Bet Investigates Journalists
How 8 Israeli newsrooms covered this story — translated into English and compared side by side.
First reported by Walla · Jul 12, 2026
What happened
In September 2024, Netanyahu’s office leaked sensitive information about a planned assassination of Hezbollah’s Hassan Nasrallah, despite intelligence warnings. While Netanyahu’s team uses leaks as a political tool, Shin Bet under new leadership investigates journalists critical of Netanyahu, employing extensive communication surveillance. This dual control over leaking and investigating raises concerns about politicization of security services and suppression of media.
- 01Netanyahu’s office deliberately leaks classified info to control political narratives.
- 02Eli Feldstein, Netanyahu’s spokesman, leaked sensitive details despite security restrictions.
- 03Shin Bet investigates journalists critical of Netanyahu under pressure from his allies.
- 04Investigations use extensive phone metadata to identify leak sources among security insiders.
- 05Former Shin Bet chiefs resisted politicizing intelligence tools, but boundaries eroded since 2024.
- 06Netanyahu controls both leaking and investigative mechanisms, raising democratic concerns.
Summary translated & synthesized from the sources below by baba. Read each original for the full report.
Full coverage · 8 outlets
The same event, reported separately by each newsroom. Open a few to compare what each emphasizes — and what they leave out.
