A judge at the Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court today (Tuesday) extended the detention of Eli Feldstein and Yonatan Urich by two days, contrary to the police request to extend their detention by nine days.
However, the judge accepted the alleged suspicions and claims that there is a suspicion that releasing the two could harm the investigation and therefore does not accept the request for an alternative to house arrest. "This is a case that reveals suspicions that require a thorough investigation, on the other hand, I must strictly supervise the investigation," the judge said.
Judge Menachem Mizrahi's decision stated: "An American company that promotes interests with Qatar contacted Suspect 1 with the aim of promoting Qatar positively in the hostage deal and spreading negative messages to Egypt in order to raise its profile.".
The judge also wrote: "The three worked to produce sympathetic articles in accordance with and in effect dictate the media agenda. There is a reasonable basis that their release could harm the investigation. Therefore, I order their detention extended until April 3.".
Police investigator Zohar Erez revealed during the hearing that Urich was asked during his interrogation whether he had leaked confidential information from the cabinet. She noted that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was also asked during the testimony whether his advisor had leaked information.
Attorney Amit Haddad said that the prime minister decides whether information is confidential or not. At his request, the court confirmed that the prime minister was also asked about this in his testimony.
Attorney Haddad insisted that Orich is not a public servant, according to the definition. The judge ruled that Orich is indeed a public servant.
The investigator later said that Urich conveyed messages to journalists on behalf of the Prime Minister's Office. The messages conveyed were actually messages conveyed by a party that has ties to and is funded by the State of Qatar, and they resemble messages that resemble messages coming from a political or security party.
The judge confirmed that there are quite a few such publications.
Lawyer Amit Haddad, who represents Orich, claimed in the hearing that the police are pressuring the suspects. He quoted: "The investigator told Orich - 'Think carefully, because you can see the child this evening.'" Police investigator Erez, who was present at the interrogation, denied this.
According to Haddad, the investigator did not know how to explain what the "summary of facts" required for an arrest warrant by law was, and even noted that the warrant itself did not include such a summary at all. Haddad argued that this was a fundamental flaw that undermined the suspect's rights and the credibility of the entire procedure.
Attorney Haddad, representing Orich, turned to the police representative: "You took his phone." Police representative: "That's right, I don't need a warrant to search the phone, we haven't broken into it yet." Haddad: "They told him he had to hand it over." Police: "I don't need a warrant to seize the device, just to break into it." Haddad: "Explain to the judge why you didn't get a search warrant." Judge: "You received the most extensive arrest warrant there is, why didn't you ask for a search warrant?".
Judge Menachem Mizrahi lifted the order to publish details of the affair. The order was lifted because it was not respected anyway and many details were leaked to the media.
""This is an exceptional case in which the gag order remains in disrepute. Among other things, through repeated and massive leaks. The matter was not enforced by the Israel Police. In addition, yesterday the investigation became public. There is no reason to leave the gag order in place.".
The police are expected to appeal the decision.
Attorney Haddad represents Urich and the Prime Minister in the case. Attorney Oded Saburai, Feldstein's attorney, wondered in the hearing before the police representative: "Is there a concern about disruption through the same attorney who advises three different parties and knows what each of them has to say and advises each one. What did you do to prevent the concern about disruption in this context? What did you do as a system?".
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