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Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Syrian Opposition's HNC in Moscow to Inquire about Sochi

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura (3rd L) shakes hands with Nasr al-Hariri (3rd R) next to opposition delegation members. (Reuters)
UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura (3rd L) shakes hands with Nasr al-Hariri (3rd R) next to opposition delegation members. (Reuters)
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Sources to Asharq Al-Awsat: Syrian Opposition's HNC in Moscow to Inquire about Sochi

UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura (3rd L) shakes hands with Nasr al-Hariri (3rd R) next to opposition delegation members. (Reuters)
UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura (3rd L) shakes hands with Nasr al-Hariri (3rd R) next to opposition delegation members. (Reuters)

A delegation from Syria’s High Negotiations Committee headed by Nasr al-Hariri will visit Moscow on Monday to meet with Russian officials, including Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Defense Minister Sergei Shvoigo, sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.

The sources explained that the Syrian opposition delegation will discuss with the Russian officials several issues regarding the Syrian national dialogue conference scheduled to be held in Sochi at the end of the month, including the invited parties, the agenda and outcomes of the conference.

Armed factions have refused to participate in the conference. However, the HNC has not issued a statement pending an official invitation from Moscow to come out with a decision regarding the conference.

The committee announced its participation at the Vienna peace talks scheduled for January 25-26, to discuss the agenda of the negotiations on constitutional reform, elections and political transition, in line with Resolution 2254.

In related news, Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir received at the Ministry's headquarters an HNC delegation headed by Hariri.

During the meeting, they discussed the latest developments in Syria and ways of achieving the aspirations of the Syrian people, according to the Saudi Press Agency (SPA).

The meeting was attended by Deputy Foreign Undersecretary for Political and Economic Affairs, Ambassador Jamal Aqil and Director General of the General Administration of Arab States Saeed Osman Sweid.

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Netanyahu Aide Faces Indictment over Gaza Leak

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks to reporters before a meeting with lawmakers at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks to reporters before a meeting with lawmakers at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
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Netanyahu Aide Faces Indictment over Gaza Leak

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks to reporters before a meeting with lawmakers at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, speaks to reporters before a meeting with lawmakers at the Capitol in Washington, Wednesday, July 9, 2025. (AP Photo/Manuel Balce Ceneta)

An aide to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces indictment on security charges pending a hearing, Israel's attorney general has said, for allegedly leaking top secret military information during Israel's war in Gaza.

Netanyahu's close adviser, Jonatan Urich, has denied any wrongdoing in the case, which legal authorities began investigating in late 2024.

Netanyahu has described probes against Urich and other aides as politically motivated and on Monday said that Urich had not harmed state security. Urich's attorneys said the charges were baseless and that their client's innocence would be proven beyond doubt, reported Reuters.

Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara said in a statement late on Sunday that Urich and another aide had extracted secret information from the Israeli military and leaked it to German newspaper Bild.

Their intent, she said, was to shape public opinion of Netanyahu and influence the discourse about the slaying of six Israeli hostages by their Palestinian captors in Gaza in late August 2024.

The hostages' deaths sparked mass protests in Israel and outraged hostages' families, who accused Netanyahu of torpedoing ceasefire talks that had faltered in the preceding weeks for political reasons.

Netanyahu vehemently denies this. He has repeatedly said that Hamas was to blame for the talks collapsing, while the group has said it was Israel's fault no deal had been reached.

Four of the six slain hostages had been on the list of more than 30 captives that Hamas was set to free if a ceasefire had been reached, according to a defense official at the time.

The Bild article in question was published days after the hostages were found executed in a Hamas tunnel in southern Gaza. It outlined Hamas' negotiation strategy in the indirect ceasefire talks and largely corresponded with Netanyahu's allegations against the militant group over the deadlock.

Bild said after the investigation was announced that it does not comment on its sources and that its article relied on authentic documents. The newspaper did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Monday.

A two-month ceasefire was reached in January this year and included the release of 38 hostages before Israel resumed attacks in Gaza. The sides are presently engaged in indirect negotiations in Doha, aimed at reaching another truce.

In his statement on Monday, Netanyahu said Baharav-Miara's announcement was "appalling" and that its timing raised serious questions.

Netanyahu's government has for months been seeking the dismissal of Baharav-Miara. The attorney general, appointed by the previous government, has sparred with Netanyahu's cabinet over the legality of some of its policies.