Judge Menachem Mizrahi slams police and prosecution after revelations in Yonatan Urich’s case expose a political witch-hunt aimed at pressuring Netanyahu’s aides into turning state witnesses.
In a dramatic courtroom twist, Judge Menachem Mizrahi, President of the Magistrate’s Court, rejected a police appeal to lift the restrictive conditions imposed on Yonatan Urich, former senior advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. The next hearing is set for Tuesday, but the case has already sparked a firestorm over alleged abuse of power by law enforcement.
Criminal law specialist Attorney Eyal Basarglik unleashed a scathing critique of the police and prosecution, branding their conduct as “highly irregular” and unprecedented in his 22-year career. “When an arresting judge—tasked with the most severe measure of detaining a person—asks for case evidence, it is inconceivable that the prosecution and police would refuse to provide it,” Basarglik charged.
Judge Mizrahi ultimately forced investigators to submit the withheld evidence, which delivered a bombshell: Netanyahu himself did not consider Qatar an enemy state, nor did he object to ties with it—a revelation that obliterated the police’s claim that Urich posed a security risk.
Despite this, police and prosecutors had launched a relentless campaign, deploying Shin Bet interrogations, arrests, and even accusations of treason and espionage. Judge Mizrahi, known as one of Israel’s toughest judges, dismissed the claims outright, declaring the case baseless. Instead of backing down, law enforcement reportedly smeared the judge, accusing him of being “unqualified.” Basarglik thundered: “If he’s excellent every time he extends detention, why is he suddenly incompetent here? Is this about justice—or politics?”
The attorney further alleged that the entire saga was an attempt to break Urich and Yonatan Feldstein into becoming state witnesses against Netanyahu, after years of failed efforts to incriminate the Prime Minister. “According to the judge, there isn’t even a basis for detention, let alone an indictment,” Basarglik emphasized.
Asked whether Urich could sue the state, Basarglik admitted the path is difficult due to weak oversight of police and prosecution, but urged consideration of a civil lawsuit once proceedings end. “Most prefer to return to peace and avoid a fight. But in cases like this, the system must be challenged,” he concluded.
This case is rapidly transforming from a legal skirmish into a political earthquake, raising explosive questions about the independence of Israel’s justice system.
