Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has been summoned to give open testimony (i.e., not under caution)in the so-called Qatar-gate affair being investigated by the Israel Police Lahav 433 national investigations division. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara approved the summons. Because of these developments, Netanyahu’s evidence in his own trial in the Tel Aviv District Court was cut short.
Jonatan Urich, a close advisor of Benjamin Netanyahu, was arrested this morning, together with Eli Feldstein, a former defense spokesperson for the prime minister who was accused in connection with alleged links between the prime minister’s bureau and officials in Qatar. A gag order is in place on details of the proceedings.
Feldstein and Urich, for whom this is the first time that he has been arrested, are suspected of prohibited contact with a foreign agent, money laundering, receiving bribes, fraud, and breach of trust.
Another suspect in the affair has been questioned under caution, and the police have also summoned a journalist to give open testimony.
Ten days ago it was reported that two suspects (Urich and Feldstein) had been questioned by Lahav 433 on suspicion of contact with a foreign agent and money laundering. The investigation focused on the transfer of money from Qatar and the pair’s connection with it.
The affair broke following reports of services that Urich and Feldstein had provided to Qatar. These allegedly consisted of a campaign organized for Qatar by Urich, together with a company owned by Yisrael Einhorn, a former campaign adviser to the Likud party, in advance of the World Cup that was held in Qatar in 2022. Urich and Einhorn’s company deny the reports.
It was also reported that Feldstein had worked to improve Qatar’s image in Israel in connection with its involvement on efforts to free Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip, allegedly providing public relations services to a foreign company working for Qatar while he was still serving as the prime minister’s spokesperson for military correspondents during the war.
The Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) announced in February that it was investigating connections between people in Netanyahu’s bureau and Qatar, and the attorney general subsequently announced that an investigation of the matter was being conducted by the Shin Bet and the police.
In connection with the dismissal of Ronen Bar as Shin Bet chief, allegations arose of a conflict of interests on Netanyahu’s part, given the investigation into the affair, and these are expected to be raised in a High Court of Justice hearing on April 8 of petitions concerning Bar’s dismissal.
Jonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein have not been indicted in this affair and have not been convicted, and are entitled to the presumption of innocence.
Published by Globes, Israel business news - en.globes.co.il - on March 31, 2025.
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