The Rishon Lezion Magistrate's Court held a hearing on Tuesday to discuss the police's request to extend the custody of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's aides, Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, who were arrested a day earlier in connection to the "Qatar-Gate" affair.
The police requested that their custody be extended by nine days so interrogations could continue. The judge decided to allow the police to continue holding the two in custody for another two days - until Thursday.
According to the police, Urich conveyed messages to journalists, supposedly on behalf of the Prime Minister's Office, while their true source was a Qatari agent.
During the hearing, police investigator Zohar Erez revealed that Urich was asked in the interrogation if he leaked classified information from cabinet meetings. She noted that Prime Minister Netanyahu was also asked if his advisor leaked information.
Adv. Amit Hadad, who represents Urich, claimed that the police are pressuring the suspects. He quoted: "The interrogator asked Urich: 'Think good and well, because you can see your kid tonight.'" The investigator, Erez, who was present during the interrogation, denied the claim.
Hadad asked the court to lift the gag order on the case and "reveal the absurdity in these baseless suspicions and the injustice against him (Urich) which shout to the heavens. This case has no evidence, only hot air for the purpose of the media. We can not allow law enforcement to hide and blur the truth behind orders when it comes to such severe harm to a person, his name, and his basic rights."
Judge Menachem Mizrahi lifted the gag order on the details of the case. However, the police asked to petition the decision, and the judge decided to delay lifting the order until Wednesday.
Investigators from the Lahav 433 police investigations unit arrested Urich and Feldstein on charges of connections with a foreign agent, bribery, breach of trust, and tax offenses.
In connection with the affair, a journalist and a businessman were arrested and later released to five days of house arrest. Prime Minister Netanyahu testified to investigators in his office but was not interrogated under caution.
