Israel Police announced on Friday afternoon that Eli Feldstein will be released on house arrest and Yonatan Urich's detention will be extended to Monday after the Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court denied the request on Friday morning.
The police requested to extend their detention by seven days. Judge Menahem Mizrahi ordered the two to house arrest until April 22.
Police then requested a stay of execution – a court order that temporarily suspends the execution of a court order or judgment – to delay their house arrest.
'Elements of danger to national security'
During the hearing, police representatives argued that an expert opinion it brought forward, citing security sources – which was presented to the court – justifies extending their arrest. The opinion was not a finalized one, and was supposed to back up the claim that Urich and Feldstein's actions contain elements of danger to national security.
Mizrahi said, “This is not legal expertise, this is a draft paper.”
He further criticized the police for its general handling of the case, questioning the claim of national security threats attributed to the two suspects. “Until today [Friday], you didn't say anything about danger – how can there be contact with a foreign agent but no danger? This was problematic from the very beginning.”
Mizrahi explained that he couldn't take into consideration the cause of endangerment, because the expert opinion is only initial.
"There was no concrete connection presented between a specific act that either of the suspects made – and national endangerment," he said, explaining his denial of the request.
Who are Urich and Feldstein
Urich and Feldstein were arrested on Monday, along with an unnamed Israeli businessman and Jerusalem Post Editor-in-Chief Zvika Klein. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu provided testimony that day as well, which cut short his criminal trial hearings.
Police are investigating alleged ties between figures close to the prime minister, in the Prime Minister's Office, and the State of Qatar.
Feldstein was the military affairs spokesperson in the PMO; Urich was a media adviser to Netanyahu, and the third person relevant to this case – Israel Einhorn – is a former aide to the prime minister.
Mizrahi addressed another claim on Friday: That police took advantage of the few days where the suspects were apprehended to investigate a different case – the leaked documents affair.
The allegations against Feldstein in this one are that he orchestrated the transfer of classified documents from inside the IDF to German daily Bild back in September, allegedly to influence public opinion about Israel's readiness to make any compromises on a hostage deal.
Amid Hadad, Urich's attorney who is also representing Netanyahu, said on Friday that Urich was questioned about the leaked documents case – while under investigation for a different case.
“It would have been forbidden to do so without announcing it as such and without consultation,” Hadad said.
Hadad added that an investigator yelled at Urich to be quiet when he complained about chest pain, and that Urich wasn't treated to medical attention until he passed out in a vehicle. Urich allegedly said, “If you are going to evacuate me, will I be handcuffed?”
The police investigator denied this version of the story, and said that the detectives requested an ambulance, after which Urich fainted. “I went down to the parking lot and saw Urich lying on his back. He was fully conscious, and said he didn't want to be evacuated because he would be met by the press. He didn't say anything about cuffs.”
Hadad further claimed that a play was made by the police whereby they put Urich and Feldstein in a waiting room, which he said also serves as a consultation room, presumably to get them to talk to each other about the case so as to hear anything said by them and use it in the case.
“If this was a ploy, it is a very concerning one,” said Hadad.
Urich and Feldstein had a direct confrontation on Wednesday, which, according to reports, strengthened the suspicions against them.
