Doha: Israel is embroiled in a political scandal dubbed “Qatargate”, as allegations surface linking close aides of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to covert financial dealings with Qatar. The Gulf nation, which hosts Hamas leaders and has played a key role in hostage negotiations in Gaza, is accused of funneling money to Israeli officials in an effort to boost its image within Israel.
What We Know So Far
Israeli authorities are investigating claims that at least two of Netanyahu’s closest aides received financial payments from the Qatari government. These payments were allegedly meant to promote Doha’s interests in Israel, despite Qatar being viewed as an enemy state.
The scandal intensified when two aides—one current and one former—were arrested on Monday, prompting Netanyahu to label the probe a “political witch hunt”. Though Netanyahu himself is not currently a suspect, he is already facing separate corruption and breach-of-trust charges.
Following his questioning, Netanyahu released an angry video statement: “They are holding Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein hostage”. An Israeli court later extended the detention of the two aides until Thursday.
Who Are the Key Suspects?
- Yonatan Urich: A longtime aide of Netanyahu, Urich began his career managing the Likud party’s social media strategy. He co-owns a media consulting firm, Perception, alongside Yisrael Einhorn, another Netanyahu associate. Reports suggest Perception was previously hired to polish Qatar’s image ahead of the 2022 FIFA World Cup, though both Urich and the firm denied these allegations.
- Eli Feldstein: Feldstein is already under scrutiny for allegedly leaking classified documents to journalists during his brief tenure as Netanyahu’s military affairs spokesman. Reports indicate he was receiving payments from Jay Footlik, a U.S.-based lobbyist registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) as working for Qatar.
- Gil Birger: An Israeli businessman, Birger recently revealed to state media that Footlik had approached him with a request to route payments to Feldstein via his company.
The Bigger Picture: Political and Security Ramifications
Jonathan Rynhold, a political expert at Bar-Ilan University, explained that the scandal has damaging implications for Netanyahu. “This links Netanyahu directly to the policy of appeasing Hamas”, Rynhold stated, referencing Israel’s previous decision to allow Qatar to send millions of dollars in cash to Gaza. Many now argue that this funding indirectly empowered Hamas, enabling it to carry out the deadly October 7, 2023 attack on Israel.
The Qatari government has strongly denied the accusations, dismissing them as part of Israel’s internal political disputes.
Fallout and What’s Next for Netanyahu
The scandal has deepened Netanyahu’s ongoing tensions with the judiciary, especially after he attempted to dismiss Ronen Bar, the head of Israel’s Shin Bet domestic security agency. Bar’s relationship with Netanyahu soured after he blamed the government for security failures leading up to the October 7 attack. Furthermore, the Shin Bet played a key role in launching the Qatargate investigation.
Professor Gideon Rahat of the Hebrew University commented on Netanyahu’s possible next moves: “Will he need to sacrifice these two people? If he sacrifices them, will they open their mouths”? He added, “In a normal country, if the prime minister had spies in his office, he would resign. But we are not in normal times”.
With the investigation ongoing and more details likely to emerge, the political future of Netanyahu and his administration remains uncertain.
