"Eli Feldstein is being held under unreasonable conditions. He's not a terrorist and hasn't killed anyone," Israeli journalist Moriah Asraf wrote in a strongly-worded statement today.
"During this war, there have been many leaks and many who bypass censorship, including from within the security establishment itself," Asraf noted, questioning the prosecution's aggressive approach. "I can only hope there aren't, God forbid, political motivations at play."
"Even if they want to pursue this case aggressively, there are plenty of alternatives to detention," she argued. "They're treating Feldstein like a terrorist, and it's simply shameful. Anyone who values democracy should be very troubled by this."
Journalist Yaki Adamker added: "How was it justified to deny Feldstein access to his lawyer for 8 days? Why was he blindfolded like a terrorist? Why was he confined to his cell? Why does he face life imprisonment charges when everyone knows he had no intention to harm the state?"
These pointed questions from journalist Yaki Adamker highlight growing concerns over the handling of the high-profile detention case.
"For [Attorney General] Amit Isman, anything goes," Adamker wrote critically, suggesting the prosecution is applying excessive pressure: "It's 'bring down Bibi or die trying.'"
Eralier today (Monday) the Israeli media reported that a noose was discovered in Feldstein's cell, this after he told his lawyer that the conditions of his imprisonment are so intense that he would rather be dead than live like that.
Prison officials issued clarifications today about security detainee Eli Feldstein's conditions, countering several media reports.
"The detainee is not housed with security inmates," the Prison Service stated, adding that items found in his cell were "improvised from permitted materials." Allegedly, he removed a rubber window seal, which was then discovered – and not a noose as previously reported.
"The transfer to a supervised cell wasn't without reason," added journalist Amit Segal, explaining that everyday items have been used in similar situations before.
"He was transferred to observation as a precaution," the prison service source said, contradicting earlier reports about the severity of the situation. "Claims about a noose are exaggerated."
Both lower and district courts had previously approved Feldstein's release to house arrest under restrictions, journalist Amir Ettinger noted.
