Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Gaza Media Office: Bloody spectacle shows that these zones have become collective death traps rather than aid distribution zones.
Gaza Media Office: Dozens of citizens are still surrounded under constant fire in the vicinity of the "aid station."
Gaza Media Office: As soon as citizens arrived, occupation and Americans opened direct fire on them.
Gaza Media Office: Occupation, in complicity with the US company, called on citizens to move toward Wadi Gaza Bridge, claiming that aid would be distributed.
Gaza Government Media Office: Occupation set a bloody trap at bridge of Wadi Gaza, luring thousands of starved civilians, and opened fire on them.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone drops sonic grenade in town of Ramiyah.
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in South Lebanon: Israeli drone strike targets vehicle in town of Beit Lif.
The Government Media Office in Gaza: The occupation’s latest crime is further evidence of its ongoing implementation of genocide through starvation.
Gaza Government Media Office: This is a methodical use of aid as a tool of war to blackmail hungry civilians.
Gaza Government media office: Massacre committed by occupation today is a blatant war crime under international law.

Netanyahu aides indicted for witness intimidation in corruption case

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 11 Feb 2025 22:37
  • 2 Shares
5 Min Read

Prosecutors said that in 2019, while Netanyahu was under investigation, the three aides orchestrated a harassment campaign targeting Shlomo (Momo) Filber, a key state witness in the case.

Listen
  • x
  • Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends his trial on corruption charges at the district court in Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, Monday, Jan. 27, 2025. (Yariv Katz/Pool Photo via AP)
    Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends his trial on corruption charges at the district court in Tel Aviv, occupied Palestine, Monday, January 27, 2025 (Pool Photo via AP)

A Times of Israel report on Tuesday revealed that two current aides and a former associate of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been indicted on witness intimidation charges linked to Netanyahu's 2019 corruption trial.

The individuals facing charges are Ofer Golan, spokesperson for the Netanyahu family and former director of Likud's 2019 election campaign; Jonatan Urich, a senior strategic advisor to Likud; and Yisrael Einhorn, who previously worked as a party spokesman.

Prosecutors allege that in 2019, while Netanyahu was under investigation, the three orchestrated a harassment campaign targeting Shlomo [Momo] Filber, a key state witness in the case. According to the indictment, the accused sent a car equipped with a megaphone to Filber's residence in Petah Tikva, broadcasting messages pressuring him to retract his testimony.

Among the recorded statements played outside Filber's home was, "Momo, be a man, go and tell the truth. Momo Filber, [about] what they did to you for you to lie against the prime minister, what they promised you." Another message accused him of being used by political opponents, stating, "The left is using you to topple Likud, Momo, hear what you yourself said before the police pressured you." The loudspeaker also broadcasted a past interview in which Filber described Netanyahu's decisions as "professional."

Legal and political repercussions

Israeli law stipulates that witness intimidation carries a three-year prison sentence, with harsher penalties possible under aggravating circumstances. Despite this, Golan and Urich have dismissed the charges as politically motivated, pointing out that:

  • Dr. Haim Wismonsky, a senior state attorney, previously closed the case.
  • Filber himself told the State Attorney's Office that he was not intimidated and had no interest in pursuing the matter.
  • The Supreme Court ruled that police and prosecutors acted unlawfully in parts of Netanyahu's corruption case, questioning the legitimacy of certain evidence.

Reacting to the indictment, Golan and Urich issued a defiant statement: "After years of drawn-out legal proceedings, after the senior state attorney lawyer on the case Dr. Haim Wismonsky decided to close the case, after Filber himself told the State Attorney's Office he was not intimidated and wasn't interested in the process, and after the Supreme Court ruled that the police, together with the State Attorney's Office, carried out illegal action and that the evidence was illegitimate — [State Attorney] Amit Aisman has the audacity to file a tattered indictment of two paragraphs."

Related News

Sara Netanyahu's 'poison machine' uncovered in latest scandal

Concluding their response, they vowed to fight the charges in court, declaring, "If they want a war, they'll get a war. We'll meet in court."

In a related development, Filber recently announced plans to file a lawsuit against Israeli police and the Israel Prison Service, alleging he was subjected to sexual assault by prison officers while in detention. His claim stems from his arrest in connection to alleged corruption at the Communications Ministry, a case that led to Netanyahu's indictment.

Further scrutiny over leaked Gaza documents

While Netanyahu battles legal troubles related to witness intimidation, he is also facing accusations of involvement in a separate scandal—the leak of classified Gaza-related security documents.

On December 4, 2024, reports surfaced that Netanyahu was aware of and possibly facilitated the leak of classified military strategy documents to the German newspaper Bild and the UK's Jewish Chronicle. The documents, which were later exposed as fabricated Hamas military plans, claimed that Hamas intended to smuggle Israeli captives to Egypt, then to Iran or Yemen. These allegations reinforced Netanyahu's hardline stance on ceasefire negotiations but have now become the subject of a legal dispute.

The prime suspect in the leak is Eli Feldstein, Netanyahu's former spokesperson for security affairs, who was charged in November 2024 for transferring classified information, illegally possessing sensitive documents, and obstructing justice.

Feldstein's lawyer, Oded Savoray, has accused Netanyahu of scapegoating his client and deflecting blame: "There was a stage in the investigation where [Feldstein] decided to stop taking the fall for the Prime Minister and his office."

Feldstein maintains that he personally informed Netanyahu about the documents two days before they were leaked to Bild. Netanyahu, however, denies this, claiming he only learned about the leak from media reports.

The charges against Feldstein include allegations that the fabricated documents were deliberately leaked to manipulate public opinion and reduce pressure on Netanyahu to make concessions for Israeli captives held in Gaza.

Expanding investigations

In a further blow to Netanyahu's inner circle, his wife, Sara Netanyahu, is now under criminal investigation for alleged witness intimidation. She is accused of directing a former aide to organize protests and launch online smear campaigns against Hadas Klein, a key witness in corruption cases against her husband.

Additionally, new revelations indicate that Eli Feldstein had undisclosed ties to Qatar while serving in the Prime Minister's Office. Reports suggest that Feldstein did public relations work for a Qatar-funded company that sought to improve the regime's image regarding its mediation efforts between "Israel" and Hamas. This raises questions about a potential conflict of interest, as Netanyahu has publicly attacked Qatar for its ties to Hamas while members of his office were privately benefiting from its funding.

Read more: Sara Netanyahu's 'poison machine' uncovered in latest scandal

  • corruption in Israel
  • netanyahu
  • Netanyahu Trial
  • Corruption
  • Benjamin Netanyahu

Most Read

President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrive to a news conference in the East Room of the White House, Tuesday, Feb. 4, 2025, in Washington (AP)

Rift widens: Trump, Netanyahu clash in heated phone call over Iran

  • Politics
  • 26 May 2025
US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump tensions

US judges quietly consider private security amid Trump pressures

  • US & Canada
  • 25 May 2025
An Israeli army vehicle moves in the Gaza Strip as seen from southern occupied Palestine, Thursday, May 29, 2025 (AP)

Hamas rejects Witkoff ceasefire plan, says alters terms

  • Politics
  • 29 May 2025
Spokesperson for the Yemeni Armed Forces, Brigadier General Yahya Saree, announces a new operation against Ben Gurion Airport on May 29, 2025 (Yemeni Military Media)

Yemen announces successful hypersonic missile strike on Ben Gurion

  • Politics
  • 30 May 2025

Coverage

All
War on Gaza

Read Next

All
MIT bans class president who gave pro-Palestine speech
US & Canada

MIT bans class president over pro-Palestine speech

Arab ministers condemn Israel 'ban' on planned West Bank visit
Politics

Arab ministers condemn Israeli ban on planned West Bank visit

Major General Hu Gangfeng, Vice President, National Defense University, People's Liberation Army, China, leaves after a panel discussion during the 22nd Shangri-La Dialogue summit in Singapore, Saturday, May 31, 2025. (AP Photo/Anupam Nath)
Politics

China blasts Hegseth, calls US top 'troublemaker' in Asia-Pacific

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: Reports
Technology

US activists demand shutdown of Musk's 'dirty' supercomputer: NBC News

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS