Importance Score: 75 / 100 🔴
Netanyahu Criticizes ‘Witch Hunt’ in Qatar Links Investigation
JERUSALEM – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vehemently denounced an ongoing inquiry into alleged connections between his advisors and Qatar, branding it a “witch hunt.” This strong reaction follows his testimony to police regarding the probe, which centers on potential inappropriate ties with the Gulf state.
Arrests and Allegations in “Qatar-gate”
The investigation, which local media has dubbed “Qatar-gate”, led to the apprehension of a current advisor and a former spokesperson on Monday. These individuals are suspected of receiving illicit payments from Qatar. Both men have refuted any accusations of misconduct and deny any wrongdoing.
Netanyahu, while not currently named as a suspect in the case, has staunchly defended his aides. He accused law enforcement of holding the two men “hostage,” asserting, “There is no case.”
Qatar Dismisses Probe as “Smear Campaign”
Echoing Netanyahu’s sentiments, a Qatari official has dismissed the investigation as a “smear campaign” targeting Qatar. Qatar has played a significant mediating role between Israel and Hamas, particularly during the ongoing conflict in Gaza.
Political Turmoil Fuels Scrutiny
This investigation unfolds amidst a period of heightened political turbulence for Netanyahu. He is currently facing mounting protests across Israel sparked by his administration’s policies. Key points of contention include:
- The resumption of Israel’s military offensive against Hamas prior to securing the release of all remaining hostages.
- The recent dismissal of the director of the Shin Bet internal security agency.
- The advancement of a contentious plan to overhaul the nation’s judiciary.
Details Emerge on Police Investigation
On Monday, the Israeli police confirmed the detention of two individuals as part of an investigation into the relationship between the Prime Minister’s office and Qatar. Due to a court-imposed gag order, further specifics were initially withheld.
Subsequent reports in Israeli media identified the detainees as Yonatan Urich, a close advisor to Netanyahu, and Eli Feldstein, a former spokesperson for the Prime Minister. The reported suspicions against them include contact with a foreign agent, money laundering, bribery, fraud, and breach of trust.
Netanyahu Testifies and Lashes Out
Netanyahu abruptly curtailed his court appearance in a separate corruption trial – charges he denies – to provide recorded testimony to investigators at his Jerusalem office. Following questioning, Netanyahu released an online video vehemently condemning the arrests and the broader investigation.
“I understood that it was a political investigation but I didn’t realize how political it was,” Netanyahu stated in the video. “They are holding Jonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein as hostages, making their lives miserable over nothing… There is no case, there is absolutely nothing, just a political witch hunt, nothing else.”
Netanyahu’s Likud party released a statement accusing the Attorney General’s office and the outgoing Shin Bet chief of “fabricating” the case. The party alleged an attempt to “terrorize Yonatan Urich in order to extract from him false testimony against the prime minister through blackmail.”
Court Extends Detention, Citing “Reasonable Suspicion”
On Tuesday, a judge at the Rishon LeZion Magistrates’ Court extended Urich and Feldstein’s detention by three days. Judge Menahem Mizrahi cited the existence of “reasonable suspicions” necessitating a thorough investigation, despite the police request for a nine-day extension.
Judge Mizrahi’s decision revealed investigators’ suspicions that the two men acted to “promote Qatar in a positive light” while simultaneously “spread[ing] negative messages about Egypt,” another key mediator in Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
The judge elaborated that investigators believe a “business and economic connection” was established with a US lobbying firm representing Qatar. This connection, facilitated by Urich, allegedly involved “monetary payments which were passed to [Feldstein]” via an Israeli businessman.
Recorded Conversation and Defense Lawyers’ Rebuttal
Israeli media recently publicized a recording in which the businessman reportedly stated he transferred funds to Feldstein on behalf of a US lobbyist working for Qatar.
Feldstein’s legal representatives maintain that the payments were for “strategic and communications services Feldstein provided to the prime minister’s office, not for Qatar.” They further asserted Feldstein’s lack of awareness regarding any connection between the businessman and Qatar or other parties. Ulrich’s legal team has denied his involvement in any illicit activities.
Accusations of Leaking Information to Journalists
A police representative informed Judge Mizrahi on Tuesday that Urich is also suspected of disseminating messages to journalists from a Qatar-linked source, presenting them as originating from high-ranking Israeli political or security officials.
Ulrich’s legal team, which includes Netanyahu’s defense lawyer Amit Hadad, announced their intention to request the lifting of the gag order to expose “the injustice done to him.” The judge subsequently approved this request, acknowledging repeated violations of the existing gag order.
Qatar Defends Mediation Efforts
A Qatari official, speaking to the Financial Times, stated, “This is not the first time we have been the subject of a smear campaign by those who do not want to see an end to this conflict [the Gaza war] or the remaining hostages returned to their families.”
Qatar has historically been a strong advocate for the Palestinian cause and hosts political leaders of Hamas. Hamas is designated as a terrorist organization by Israel, the UK, the US, and other nations.
Qatar’s Financial Aid to Gaza
Between 2018 and the commencement of the current conflict, triggered by Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, Qatar provided hundreds of millions of dollars in aid to Gaza.
Israeli administrations permitted the transfer of these funds to cover civil servant salaries in Gaza’s Hamas-controlled government, assist impoverished families, and finance fuel deliveries for the territory’s sole power plant. However, critics have argued that this aid indirectly bolstered Hamas’s power and funded its military operations.
Mediation Role in Hostage Release Deals
Since the war’s onset, Qatar, in conjunction with the US and Egypt, has been instrumental in brokering two ceasefire and hostage release agreements between Israel and Hamas.
The most recent truce lasted from November 24 to December 1, before renewed hostilities. Israel resumed its air and ground operations, blaming Hamas for rejecting a proposed extension and the release of remaining hostages. Hamas, in turn, accused Israel of violating the original agreement.
Netanyahu Alleges Political Motivation Behind Probe
Netanyahu has contended that the “sole purpose” of the Qatar-gate investigation is to prevent the dismissal of the director of the Shin Bet domestic security agency, which is involved in the probe, and to “topple a right-wing prime minister.”
Shin Bet Director Dismissal and Supreme Court Intervention
The government announced the dismissal of Ronen Bar, the Shin Bet director, on March 21, citing a loss of confidence due to the agency’s failure to prevent Hamas’s deadly October 7 attack that triggered the Gaza war.
However, the Supreme Court intervened, suspending the dismissal pending an April 8 hearing. This suspension was in response to petitions from opposition parties and a non-governmental organization, arguing the dismissal was politically motivated and represented a significant conflict of interest.
Bar remains in his position until the Supreme Court’s ruling. The court has, however, permitted Netanyahu to interview potential replacements in the interim.
Reversal on Shin Bet Chief Appointment
On Tuesday, Netanyahu’s office announced the reversal of his previous day’s decision to appoint former navy commander Vice Adm Eli Sharvit as the next Shin Bet chief.
“The prime minister thanked Vice Adm Sharvit for his willingness to be called to duty but informed him that, after further consideration, he intends to examine other candidates,” the official statement conveyed.
This decision followed criticism from Likud officials regarding Sharvit’s participation in the 2023 mass protests against the government’s judicial overhaul plans.
US Republican Senator Lindsey Graham also voiced concerns about Sharvit’s potential appointment, labeling it “problematic” in reaction to a recent article critical of President Donald Trump’s climate change policies.