Bild leak affair defendants to respond to charges against them in first since Urich added
The hearing was the first since the indictment was amended last month to add senior Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu adviser Yonatan Urich as a defendant
Assessment
The addition of a senior Netanyahu adviser to the Bild leak case marks a significant escalation in a scandal that has already shaken Israeli politics. The defendants' responses in this hearing will be closely watched for any indications of how the prosecution's expanded case may unfold. The coming weeks will likely reveal whether Urich's involvement deepens the political fallout or shifts the legal strategy of the defense.