Braverman is suspected of obstructing an investigation, improperly conveying official information, and fraud and breach of trust.
A magistrate’s court on Thursday extended the travel ban and restrictive conditions imposed on Tzachi Braverman, head of the Prime Minister’s Office staff and Israel’s designated ambassador to the United Kingdom, after police warned that allowing him to leave the country could interfere with an ongoing investigation into suspected obstruction of justice.
Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court President Judge Menahem Mizrahi ordered that Braverman remain barred from leaving Israel until February 10, and continue to be barred from entering the PMO or contacting individuals connected to the case – including the prime minister – until that date.
Braverman is suspected of obstructing an investigation, improperly conveying official information, and fraud and breach of trust, in connection with claims made by former prime ministerial spokesman Eli Feldstein regarding a late-night meeting between the two.
According to Feldstein, the meeting took place in an underground parking lot at the Kirya military base in Tel Aviv, shortly before police detained him for questioning. In an interview broadcast by KAN, Feldstein alleged that during the meeting, Braverman told him he was aware of a sensitive investigation underway, knew who was involved, and could “turn it off,” and that he showed him a list of names allegedly connected to the probe.
Prime Minister’s Chief of Staff Tzachi Braverman arrives to the courtroom at the Distrcit court in Tel Aviv, before the start of the testimony of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the trial against him, December 18, 2024. (credit: MIRIAM ALSTER/FLASH90)
Police tell court that Braverman must remain in Israel
At Thursday’s hearing, police representative Gil Racklin told the court that investigators had carried out numerous actions since the previous hearing and that additional investigative steps remain outstanding, arguing that Braverman’s continued availability inside Israel is required.
“If he leaves the country, our ability to summon him will be significantly reduced,” Racklin said, adding that the remaining investigative actions require immediate accessibility.
Mizrahi accepted that concern, extending the restrictions while noting the need to balance investigative requirements against individual rights.
The court also expanded the existing no-contact order to include three Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) officials who have provided open testimony in the case. The restriction adds to an already broad prohibition barring Braverman from contacting senior figures in the Prime Minister’s Office, military aides, spokespeople, chiefs of staff, and administrative personnel until February 10.
Defense attorney Jacques Chen argued that the travel ban amounts to a disproportionate infringement on freedom of movement, saying police could plan investigative steps without preventing Braverman from leaving the country. Braverman, who has been appointed Israel’s next ambassador to the United Kingdom but has not yet taken up the post, argued through counsel that the restrictions harm Israel’s diplomatic interests.
Police countered that once abroad – particularly in a formal diplomatic role – Braverman would be less readily available for questioning. Chen responded that his client could return to Israel within hours if summoned.
The investigation is unfolding against the backdrop of a separate probe into the unauthorized leak of classified Israeli military intelligence to the German newspaper Bild. That case centers on a sensitive IDF intelligence assessment concerning Hamas’s negotiating posture on hostages, which was published without authorization in September 2024, triggering alarm within the security establishment.
Authorities suspect the document was removed from Military Intelligence and circulated outside authorized channels. Feldstein and IDF reservist Ari Rosenfeld have been indicted in connection with the leak and face charges including unlawful dissemination of classified material and obstruction of justice.
In related proceedings, a court initially ordered KAN journalist Omri Assenheim to hand over raw interview materials to police – a decision that was later frozen on appeal amid concerns over press freedom and journalistic privilege.
Although formally separate, both the Bild leak affair and the investigation into the alleged midnight meeting have been discussed alongside what has become known as “Qatargate,” a broader set of investigations examining alleged undisclosed ties, information flows, and influence efforts involving Qatar and individuals close to the political leadership. Authorities have stressed that each matter is being examined independently, based on its own evidentiary record.