Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is at the center of a new furor, known as “Qatargate,” amid allegations that his media advisers worked for Qatar to promote its interests in Israeli news media. The police investigation has renewed calls for Netanyahu’s resignation and has fueled criticism that he is using his power to distract from his own corruption charges.
Netanyahu denies the claims, calling them a “political manhunt” aimed at toppling him from power. However, two of his media advisers, Jonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, have been arrested on suspicion of promoting Qatar’s interests in Israel. The investigation alleges that the pair worked alongside a third individual to foster a perception that Qatar played a more important role than Egypt in diplomatic efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza.
Netanyahu has dismissed the case as ” political manhunt” while Qatar denies any wrongdoing, calling it a “smear campaign.” The case has created a perception of conflict of interest and exacerbated fears that Netanyahu is fighting too many personal battles to govern effectively.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/04/03/world/middleeast/israel-qatar-netanyahu.html