Qatar-Gate: Criminal investigation into alleged links between PM's aides and Qatar ensues

The ongoing security inquiry into the "Qatar-Gate" affair has now escalated into a full criminal investigation, following a decision by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara. The case involves alleged ties between senior figures in the Prime Minister’s Office and Qatari officials, with the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) and the Israeli police set to lead the investigation.

The probe focuses on three close associates of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:

Eli Feldstein – A former spokesman for Netanyahu, already under indictment in a separate classified document leak case.

Yonatan Urich – A communications advisor and spokesman, also implicated in the classified document affair.

Israel Einhorn – A political campaign strategist for the Likud Party, who has reportedly been residing abroad since the investigation was first made public.

Urich and Einhorn are already facing charges in a separate case, in which they, along with Netanyahu’s former spokesman Ofer Golan, allegedly harassed state witness Shlomo Filber.

The decision to escalate the case to a criminal investigation was reached following a high-level discussion involving Attorney General Baharav-Miara, State Prosecutor Amit Aisman, the head of the police investigations division, and senior Shin Bet officials.

While Feldstein was not officially employed by the Israeli government, there is legal debate over whether he can be considered a public servant, which would subject him to restrictions applicable to government employees.

According to reports, Feldstein received payments from an international private company to manage a large-scale media campaign promoting Qatar’s image in Israel. The campaign was allegedly linked to Qatar’s role as a mediator in hostage negotiations. During this time, Feldstein reportedly:

Facilitated interviews between Israeli journalists and top Qatari officials

Delivered official messages on behalf of Qatar

Promoted narratives emphasizing Qatar’s role in regional diplomacy

All of this allegedly took place while Feldstein was working with Netanyahu, despite the Prime Minister himself frequently criticizing Qatar for supporting Hamas.

Urich and Einhorn are suspected of advising Qatar on its image in Israel. Reports indicate that in 2022, they designed a PR campaign for Qatar ahead of the FIFA World Cup, which took place that year in Doha.

The campaign sought to portray Qatar—one of the main financial backers of Hamas—as a legitimate and peace-seeking nation.

Einhorn’s company, Perception, reportedly led the campaign, working alongside another firm called Coyos, co-owned by Brigadier General (Res.) Eli Ben-Meir, a former senior intelligence officer. Ben-Meir currently holds a sensitive position within the IDF and is leading the military intelligence investigation into the events of October 7.

Reports suggest Feldstein also worked for Einhorn’s company, though it is unclear whether this was directly related to the Qatari PR campaign.

Political Fallout and Netanyahu’s Response

All three individuals have denied any wrongdoing. Netanyahu himself has dismissed the allegations, calling them a politically motivated attack aimed at undermining his leadership.

The Likud Party issued a statement, saying:

"As the fabricated cases against Prime Minister Netanyahu fall apart in court, they are now inventing new false accusations against his associates, driven by personal agendas of those leading the investigation. We see through this charade."