Former IDF Chief Halevi to Testify in Bild Leak Obstruction Case

Lt.-Gen. (ret.) Herzi Halevi, former chief of staff of the Israel Defense Forces, has been summoned to testify in a high-profile case involving suspected obstruction of an IDF investigation into a leak of classified military intelligence. The leaked document was ultimately published by German outlet Bild, sparking a criminal inquiry into the circumstances surrounding its disclosure.

Halevi, who initially ordered the IDF's Military Police Criminal Investigation Division to look into the leak and brought the Shin Bet into the investigation, is now expected to provide detailed testimony on how the original probe was initiated and managed. His testimony will be pivotal in shedding light on the internal military response and external attempts to derail the investigation.

The case has taken a sharp political turn. Police revealed to the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s chief of staff, Tzachi Braverman, allegedly met with Eli Feldstein in the Kirya parking lot and presented a list of names purportedly with the aim of halting the investigation. Braverman reportedly told Feldstein that he could "switch off the investigation," suggesting a serious attempt to interfere with a sensitive military inquiry.

In addition to Halevi’s upcoming testimony, police are also investigating a televised interview aired by Kan 11, in which journalist Omri Assenheim spoke with Feldstein. Authorities have sought access to the raw footage, indicating they consider the interview a potential piece of evidence in the broader obstruction probe.

The same court session revealed another layer to the investigation. Braverman and Netanyahu’s spokesman, Omer Mansour, appealed orders barring them from entering the Prime Minister’s Office during the investigation. Police stated that Mansour had taken phones from both Braverman and Feldstein during the late-night car meeting, raising questions about his involvement.

However, the presiding judge, President Avraham Mizrahi, cast doubt on the rationale for questioning Mansour under caution. He likened Mansour’s role to that of a bystander, calling him “the glove compartment,” and criticized the police for relying too heavily on a televised account to initiate certain investigative steps. He pressed them to explain why Feldstein wasn’t questioned under caution sooner and questioned the sequence of their legal maneuvers.

Police, however, maintained that there is reasonable suspicion of obstruction at the highest levels of the Prime Minister’s Office. They pointed out that Feldstein himself implicated the prime minister publicly during the televised interview, and that the attempted shutdown of the IDF’s investigation constitutes a new, serious development justifying restrictions and continued inquiry.

While the investigation is ongoing and complex, it underscores the critical importance of transparency and the independence of military investigations in Israel’s democracy. The involvement of senior political aides and the former IDF chief himself speaks volumes about the weight of this case.

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