QATAR-GATE: Who is Jay Footlik?

Jay Footlik, also known as Jay K. Footlik, is an American lobbyist who serves as the President and CEO of Global Policy Initiatives (GPI), a political and policy consulting firm. He was born in 1965, in Skokie, Illinois, and has held senior roles in American political systems. Previously, he served as a Special Assistant to President Bill Clinton in the White House, where he helped advance domestic and international issues, including acting as a liaison to the American Jewish community. He traveled with Clinton on official visits to Poland, Norway, Israel, Gaza, Jordan, and various locations in the United States.

Footlik also worked as a senior advisor on Middle East affairs during John Kerry’s 2004 presidential campaign and served as the Director of Community Outreach during Joe Lieberman’s election campaign. He attempted to run for the U.S. Congress in Chicago but was unsuccessful. He is a member of the board of directors of the Middle East Investment Initiative (Jay Footlik – Middle East Investment Initiative) and is active in organizations such as the American Council of Young Political Leaders and SAFE (Securing America’s Future Energy).

Beyond his political work, Footlik is a professional actor who has appeared in films such as Teen Wolf (1985), Iron Eagle (1986), and Redemption Day (2021), as well as television shows like Chicago Story (1982) and Dig (2015). He has been a member of the Screen Actors Guild (SAG) since 1979 and has performed in numerous theater productions, including Studs Terkel’s Working at the Goodman Theatre in Chicago.

Educationally, Footlik earned a bachelor’s degree in political science (American foreign policy and the Middle East) from the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) in 1988, and a law degree from Loyola Law School in Los Angeles in 1994. He is a member of the Maryland Bar Association.

His Role in the "Qatargate" Affair

The "Qatargate" affair in Israel is a political scandal involving allegations of financial ties and political influence between the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatar, with an emphasis on payments to members of his media team. The affair emerged following media reports of commercial connections between Netanyahu’s media team members and actors from the state of Qatar, including Eli Feldstein, a media team member who was under house arrest for leaking classified documents to the German newspaper Bild.

Footlik is connected to the affair after he asked Gil Birger, an Israeli businessman, to transfer funds to Eli Feldstein for VAT payments, as part of the investigations. The probes focus on allegations of payments from Qatar to Netanyahu’s associates between May 2022 and October 2024, with suspicions of contact with a foreign agent, fraud, money laundering, and bribery. The affair also includes investigations of Yonatan Urich, Netanyahu’s personal spokesperson, and other members of the media team.

Footlik works for Qatar through his company, ThirdCircle Inc., which has been registered under the Foreign Agents Registration Act (FARA) since 2019. The company arranges trips to Qatar for American elected officials and received a monthly payment of $40,000 from the Qatari Embassy.

Political and Diplomatic Connections

Footlik is active in Middle East policy, with experience working with Israeli leaders like Shimon Peres on peace initiatives between Israel and its neighbors. He has also lectured extensively on topics such as American politics, presidential elections, foreign policy, and the Middle East, appearing on television and radio programs, including Fox News, ABC, NBC, and CBS.

Impact and Reactions

The affair has caused political tensions in Israel, with Netanyahu’s attempts to fire Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, reportedly to interfere with the investigation. Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara noted a conflict of interest, and the affair has sparked public protests and media articles about potential government corruption.