Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s advisers, Eli Feldstein and Yonatan Urich, have been arrested as part of an ongoing investigation into alleged illicit connections between Netanyahu’s office and Qatari officials. Feldstein, the prime minister’s spokesman, and Urich, his media advisor, are suspected of crimes including money laundering, bribery, fraud, and breach of trust. The police are expected to request an extension of their detention.
A few hours after the arrests, Netanyahu was summoned to testify in the case, with the approval of the Prime Minister's Legal Advisor Gali Baharav-Miara. Netanyahu is scheduled to provide testimony today in his office in Jerusalem. The decision to summon the prime minister was intended to prevent any disruption to the investigation.
Likud Party Condemns Arrests
In response to the arrests, the Likud party condemned the detentions, labeling the arrest of Yonatan Urich as a “thuggish” attempt to undermine the prime minister. The party described the arrest as part of a broader “political hunt” to remove a right-wing leader and prevent the dismissal of the Shin Bet chief. The Likud statement also accused authorities of trying to extract false testimony from Urich through intimidation.
Notably, the Likud's statement did not mention Feldstein, who is also accused of leaking classified information related to the case.
Investigation Expands to Journalists
As part of the investigation, two additional suspects are under caution, including an Israeli journalist who is alleged to have mediated between Feldstein and businessman Gil Birger. Birger recently admitted to transferring money from a Qatari government lobbyist, Jay Potlik, to Feldstein. The journalist, who had initially been summoned for open testimony, is now being questioned under caution for his alleged contacts with a foreign agent.
Police have confirmed that the investigation is being conducted by the National Unit for International Investigations (Yachabal) at Lahav 443. They have also obtained the necessary permits for interrogating journalists, as required by the State Attorney’s Office.
Detailed Investigations Into Qatari Connections
The investigation was sparked by recordings published by Kan 11, in which businessman Gil Birger was heard admitting to facilitating payments from the Qatari lobbyist to Feldstein. Feldstein has claimed that officials from the Prime Minister’s Office offered him money for his services through Potlik. Meanwhile, Urich, through his lawyers, has denied any involvement in the case.
The ties between Netanyahu’s advisers and Qatari officials were first revealed by Haaretz in November. The report claimed that Urich and Israel Einhorn, a former advisor to the Likud campaign, worked together to build a marketing campaign to improve Qatar’s image before the 2022 World Cup. Both Urich and Einhorn have denied the allegations.
Allegations of PR Services for Qatar
In addition, Channel 12 reported last month that Feldstein had provided public relations services to a company working for the Qatari government, particularly concerning the issue of hostages. Feldstein allegedly worked on building a positive narrative for Qatar while employed in Netanyahu’s office.
Investigations into National Security Concerns
The Israeli General Security Service (Shin Bet) has been jointly investigating the connections between Netanyahu’s advisers and Qatari figures. The investigation follows new information and was discussed in a meeting attended by key legal and intelligence figures, including the Attorney General and the head of the Investigations and Intelligence Division in the police.
Before the investigation began, the Shin Bet had already announced that it was examining the potential security risks posed by officials in Netanyahu’s office, including a review of the protection of classified information.
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