Contradictory versions – and the lobbyist who distanced himself: The Dramatic development in the Qatar-Gate affair

Police detectives conducted searches last night (Wednesday) at the homes of two key suspects in the Qatar-Gate affair, investigating suspicions of contact with a foreign agent and money laundering.

The court-issued search warrants were granted following the release of recordings that revealed contradictions between the statements of legal representatives of Netanyahu’s advisors, Eli Feldstein and Yonatan Urich. Investigators plan to confront the two with their conflicting testimonies.

At the center of the investigation is the connection between U.S. lobbyist Jay Footlik, who worked for the Qatari government, and Feldstein, an advisor in the Prime Minister’s Office. Footlik’s associates claim he was unaware of Feldstein’s employment within the government and would not have hired him had he known. "It wasn’t my responsibility to verify," he reportedly told close contacts.

The investigation took a dramatic turn when Israeli businessman Gil Birger admitted that he had transferred Qatari funds to Feldstein at Footlik’s request. However, Feldstein denies any knowledge of Qatar’s involvement, insisting that the funds were transferred to him as a "temporary solution" by "officials within the Prime Minister’s Office."

The political sphere was also shaken by the developments. Following the latest revelations, the official English-language account of the Prime Minister’s Office tweeted: "In America and Israel, when a strong right-wing leader wins an election, the deep state, serving the left, distorts the legal system to thwart the will of the people. They will not succeed—neither in Israel nor in America. We stand strong together."

The tweet was quickly deleted but later reposted from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s personal account, who continues to claim that the allegations are "fake news."

With contradicting testimonies piling up, the investigation is expected to take further turns, potentially uncovering the full scope of the scandal.