Two close associates of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have been remanded in custody for three days following their arrest on Monday by Israeli police. Yonatan Urich, Netanyahu’s closest adviser, and former aide Eli Feldstein are suspected of taking bribes and working to influence media coverage of Qatar in favor of the country.
The investigation, known as QatarGate, is looking into alleged unlawful ties between Netanyahu’s aides and Qatar. The judge denied the police’s request for a nine-day detention period but extended the initial detention by three days, saying it would disrupt the ongoing investigation.
Prosecutors claim that Urich and Feldstein took bribes from an American company to spread negative messages about Egypt and downplay its role in mediation efforts to release hostages and reach a permanent ceasefire. The judge stated that a review of classified materials showed reasonable suspicion that the suspects had worked to manipulate media coverage in Qatar’s favor.
Netanyahu has claimed the investigation is politically motivated, stating it’s aimed at preventing him from dismissing the head of Israel’s internal security service. However, opposition leaders have criticized Netanyahu for trying to disrupt the investigation, saying it poses a threat to national security and credibility.
The case has sparked tensions between Israel and Qatar, with a Qatari government official calling the allegations a “smear campaign” aimed at prolonging the conflict in Gaza. Netanyahu has also claimed that the investigation will derail peace efforts and that he’s being unfairly targeted.
Source: https://edition.cnn.com/2025/04/01/middleeast/two-arrested-as-investigation-into-qatargate-israel-deepens-intl/index.html