Benjamin Netanyahu: Qatar a "complicated," but not an enemy state

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video today (Wednesday) where he explained why he thinks the Qatargate scandal is a witch hunt meant to bring down his rightwing government.

In the video, Netanyahu said that he wanted to refute the latest "fake" news, in reference to the allegation that Yonathan Urich, a longtime adviser to Prime Minister Netanyahu, received money to release official statements from the Prime Minister's Office in favor of Qatar.

Netanyahu said that Urich was a close adviser and "dedicated worker" who was nevertheless never given access to any classified material, and whose actions of praising Qatar were not unusual at all in the Israeli political landscape.

Netanyahu mentioned how both Opposition Leader Yair Lapid and State Camp party leader Benny Gantz praised Qatar for their work in mediating the hostage deal, and that even Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar had engaged in such praise.

The Prime Minister then said that Qatar is a "complicated, not simple" country, but not an enemy country, which is part of the basis for the allegation against Urich.

He ended his statement by saying Urich was being bludgeoned into turning against his boss with threats that he may not see his young daughter unless, implicitly, he becomes a state's witness against Prime Minister Netanyahu and thus brings down the government.