Supreme Court Justice Alex Stein on Monday rejected the State Prosecutor’s request that the main defendant in the classified documents leak case, Eli Feldstein, be detained until the end of the proceedings and ordered that he be released to house arrest subject to electronic monitoring.

However, Stein ruled that the second defendant, an IDF reservist non-commissioned officer who has not been named, will remain in custody until the end of proceedings.

Stein justified his decision by saying that he is concerned that the defendant, who leaked the classified documents to Feldstein, may leak further classified information, claiming that the defendant views himself as an “independent contractor” for the IDF’s Military Intelligence and not bound to the IDF’s security regulations and chain of command.

However, Stein noted that if circumstances change, the defendant can file another appeal against his detention.

As part of the arrest conditions, Feldstein is prohibited from using a smartphone and all computerized communication, and according to Stein’s ruling, security agencies will also be able to eavesdrop on his conversations for enforcement purposes.

Last week, Tel Aviv District Court Judge Ala Masarwa sharply criticized the state prosecution, saying that there is “evidential weakness” regarding the claim attributed to Eli Feldstein in the indictment against him – that he intended to harm state security.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)