Israeli police have detained Zachi Braverman, chief of staff to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, on allegations of obstructing an investigation. The arrest, confirmed on Sunday, follows reports that Braverman was linked to the leak of sensitive military information during the Gaza war. Braverman had been nominated as Israel’s next ambassador to the United Kingdom, but opposition figures are now calling for his appointment to be suspended.

Former Netanyahu aide Eli Feldstein recently claimed that Braverman tried to interfere with a probe into the leak of classified military documents to foreign media during the conflict with Hamas. Feldstein himself had been arrested in 2024 for leaking a secret Israeli military document to a German tabloid, which aimed to support Netanyahu’s stance that military pressure could secure the release of Israeli hostages. Israeli media reported that police searched Braverman’s home and expect Feldstein to provide further testimony.

Braverman and Feldstein have also been linked to the so-called “Qatargate” scandal, involving alleged efforts to promote Qatar’s image in Israel. Opposition leader Yair Lapid urged the government to suspend Braverman’s ambassadorial nomination in light of these developments.