Qatargate Scandal: Netanyahu Aides Paid Millions to Promote Qatar

JERUSALEM, Israel — Qatar paid senior Israeli officials, including aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, approximately $10 million over several years to enhance the Gulf nation’s image, according to a report by the Kan public broadcaster on Sunday.

The report cites estimates from law enforcement officials involved in the ongoing Qatargate investigation. It indicates that Perception Media, a firm owned by Yisrael Einhorn, a former campaign adviser to Netanyahu, was compensated $45,000 monthly for two years, starting in 2022 until the project’s termination in late 2024. Approximately $18,000 of that monthly payment was directed to Netanyahu aide Jonatan Urich, the report reveals.

In addition to the payments made to Perception Media, another aide, Eli Feldstein, allegedly received $11,000 per month. The remaining funds reportedly went to senior defense officials and employees of a technology firm.

The Qatargate investigation centers on allegations that Urich and Feldstein engaged in various illegal activities, including contact with a foreign agent and corrupt actions linked to lobbyists and private businessmen while serving the prime minister.

The investigation has broadened to examine the actions and business ties of former security officials with Qatar. Einhorn and Urich initially launched their PR efforts to create a positive narrative for Qatar in advance of the 2022 FIFA World Cup hosted in Doha, and reports indicate their work continued amid the Israel-Hamas conflict that reignited following the October 7, 2023, attack by Hamas.

According to the Kan report, the Israeli public was not made aware that pro-Qatar propaganda attributed to Netanyahu’s office actually originated from Einhorn. This revelation has stirred concerns over foreign influence affecting public dialogue.

Urich and Feldstein have been detained and questioned regarding their involvement in the scandal. Einhorn, who currently lives in Serbia, has evaded Israeli investigators, fearing arrest upon returning to the country. Feldstein is presently facing indictment for allegedly leaking classified information from a secret document to the German newspaper Bild last year.

The ongoing investigation is drawing widespread attention as it unfolds.