"If Orich hadn't approved - I wouldn't have passed it on": The stormy confrontation between PMO staff members

The confrontation between Yonatan Orich, the Prime Minister's advisor, and Eli Feldstein, the Prime Minister's former spokesperson, lasted only eight minutes, but during it, one of the central disputes in the document affair was at the center: what did Orich know about the classified document and what was his part in passing it on for publication. Feldstein claimed that Orich saw the classified document, knew its source, and approved its transfer for publication in Bild. Orich denied the things. The confrontation intensified, with exchanges of accusations between the two.

The classified document affair

• Drama in the indictment against Feldstein: will stand trial for harming state security.

• Feldstein's lawyer: he decided he is stopping lying on the fence for the Prime Minister.

• The correspondence with Orich that exposed Feldstein's work in the PMO.

• The Attorney General decided: Orich will be charged with delivering a classified piece of information with the intent to harm state security.

• The Supreme Court rejected the prosecution's request to distance Orich from the PMO.

---

Who knew and approved? The contradiction that ignited the confrontation

Last year, after the publicized arrest of Yonatan Orich, the Prime Minister's close advisor, in the Qatar-gate affair, by Lahav 433 investigators, a difficult confrontation took place between Feldstein and Orich that reached shouting and exchanges of accusations.

The background to this stormy confrontation is a fundamental contradiction discovered by the investigators between Feldstein's version and Orich's version, around one of the central questions in the affair: did Orich know about the classified document that reached Feldstein and did he approve its transfer for publication in the German newspaper Bild? A document that was prohibited for publication by the censor.

The indictment has already been filed - and then came the confrontation

It is important to mention the timing: when this confrontation was held, in April 2025, Feldstein was already a defendant. The indictment against him and Ari Rosenfeld was filed a few months earlier, in November 2024. The police tried at some point to take testimony from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu but did not succeed.

The investigators returned Feldstein to the interrogation room and to a confrontation over events he had already been interrogated about and which were already at the basis of the indictment against him. For the purpose of holding this confrontation, according to the investigation materials, special approval was required from the Attorney General and the State Attorney.

Feldstein: Orich saw the document and approved its transfer

In the interrogation, Feldstein describes a clear path: according to him, he received the document from Ari Rosenfeld at the Kirya, traveled with it to the Knesset - and there met Orich.

Investigator: On the day you received this document, the Bild document, where did you travel with it and to whom did you show it?

Feldstein: I received it in the morning hours from Ari Rosenfeld from the Kirya in Tel Aviv, I traveled with it straight to the Knesset. The PM was at the Knesset. On the way, I corresponded with Yonatan Orich and with Ofer Golan, the PM's spokesperson. At the Knesset, I met you, Yonatan, in Tzachi Braverman's room. I arrived with three pages, which are three documents: the Bild document, the XXX document, and another XXX document.

According to Feldstein, Orich not only saw the document - he also knew its source.

Investigator: In the correspondence between you, it is seen that Orich approves for you to pass the document to 'the Hasid'.

Feldstein: Correct.

Investigator: A, who is 'the Hasid'? B, why do you need Orich's approval?

Feldstein: 'The Hasid' in this case is Srulik Einhorn. And if Yonatan Orich hadn't approved for me to pass this document to Srulik Einhorn, I wouldn't have passed it to him.

Orich denies: "The first time I saw the document was here"

After the investigators hear from Feldstein that Orich saw the document, knew its source, and approved its transfer, they direct this version directly to Orich.

Investigator: You just heard the things that Eli said, what is your reaction?

Orich: Apart from the fact that Paul did indeed come to interview the PM twice, the first time I saw the document in question was here, in this room.

Investigator: Meaning, you never saw it before?

Orich: And I didn't know its source, and I read it here for the first time. I don't understand why they are lying?!

At this stage, the contradiction between the versions becomes a direct confrontation between the two. Feldstein demands that Orich look at him and say that he is lying, and Orich accuses him that the things he provided in the interrogation are what led to his arrest.

I don't see my daughter because of you

From here, the confrontation becomes even more personal. Feldstein continues to accuse Orich of lying, and Orich throws at him the personal price of the arrest.

Orich: I was ready to suffer all your lies if it would help you. It doesn't even help you. So why are you lying?

Feldstein: Listen well! You are not ready to suffer my lies, because I am not lying. You know that I am not lying.

The investigators stop the confrontation and take Feldstein out of the room. Orich remains inside, agitated - and then the investigator turns to him.

Investigator: I will tell you something short - the difference between you and him.

Orich: A week I don't see my daughter because of his lies.

Investigator: He is not lying.