Archiv: Eliezer „Eli“ Feldstein


22.04.2025 - 01:12 [ Times of Israel ]

Netanyahu aide and Qatargate suspect Jonatan Urich has no security clearance – report

Urich, the primary suspect in the affair, allegedly employed Feldstein to help in the work of being in contact with journalists to advance this messaging.

Further filling out the information regarding the case, a police investigator told the court that Urich “and others” relayed information to journalists under the pretense that it came from senior Israeli political or security officials, when in reality Urich and Feldstein were spreading messaging emanating from the Qatari government via Footlik’s lobbying company.

19.04.2025 - 22:09 [ Times of Israel ]

Feldstein’s lawyers decry ‘false’ claim Qatargate suspect did not work for PM’s office in lead-up to arrest

Later, Feldstein’s lawyer Oded Saburai and Sion Hausman tell Channel 12 the claim that Feldstein did not act as a spokesperson for the Prime Minister’s Office in the six months before his arrest “is false and contradicted by mountains of objective evidence.”

The lawyers assert their client acted in an official capacity on behalf of the Prime Minister’s office as a spokesperson on diplomatic and security matters.

18.04.2025 - 01:40 [ Jerusalem Post ]

Netanyahu aides to be indicted for financial offenses in Qatargate scandal, sources say

Sources told Walla that the investigation will focus on cellphones that the police seized from Urich, which contain deleted text messages that link him to the classified documents affair, with an indictment filed against Feldstein and NCO Ari Rosenfeld for leaking a classified document to Feldstein. From there, it was publicized in the German daily Bild.

04.04.2025 - 18:21 [ Times of Israel ]

Police accuse judge who released Qatargate suspects to house arrest of acting on personal interests

The police say they feel as though the judge is “‘giving his regards’ to the Judicial Selection Committee in order to pave the way for him to be appointed as a district judge.”

They further accuse him of forcing police investigators to discuss “sensitive documents” in hearings and say he writes his case decisions as though he is writing “press releases.”

“He writes classified things and then deletes them from the minutes after the media has already published them,” police charge.

04.04.2025 - 18:14 [ Times of Israel ]

Urich and Feldstein to be released to house arrest after judge rejects request to extend remand; police lodge appeal

Judge Menachem Mizrahi also levels criticism at the police investigators, saying that he suspects they didn’t focus solely on Urich and Feldstein’s alleged ties to Qatar during the last few days of interrogations, but also used the opportunity to probe the two prime ministerial aides about the classified documents leak from the Prime Minister’s Office, in which Feldstein is also a central suspect.

03.04.2025 - 16:57 [ Times of Israel ]

Qatari lobbyist reportedly used WhatsApp group to coordinate with Netanyahu aides

(April 2, 2025)

After Israeli businessman Gil Birger revealed that Qatari lobbyist Jay Footlik had asked him to pay Netanyahu aide Eli Feldstein for his work on behalf of Qatar, Feldstein insisted that the funds were actually for his work for the Prime Minister’s Office.

However, Channel 12 reveals the existence of a WhatsApp group between Footlik, Feldstein and Yisrael Einhorn — Urich’s partner at a PR firm who also served as a campaign adviser for Netanyahu.

03.04.2025 - 16:45 [ Jerusalem Post ]

Feldstein, Urich give police conflicting testimonies

Feldstein, who formerly worked as Netanyahu‘s military spokesperson, claimed he received a salary from Israeli businessman Gil Birger. According to Feldstein, the payment was arranged through Netanyahu‘s close adviser, Urich.

Urich, however, denied the claim outright, stating he does not know Birger and has never spoken with him.

Birger, for his part, has said that he transferred the funds on behalf of Jay Footlik, a lobbyist for Qatar, citing tax considerations as the motive.

02.04.2025 - 17:36 [ France24.com ]

What is the ‚Qatargate‘ scandal roiling Israel?

Who are the suspects?

Yonatan Urich, who has been working closely with Netanyahu for most of the past decade, started out as the social media manager for the prime minister‘s Likud party.

Urich also co-owns a media consulting firm called Perception with Yisrael Einhorn, who has also worked with Netanyahu.

(…)

Eli Feldstein is already under investigation for leaking classified documents to journalists during the short time he worked unofficially as the prime minister‘s military affairs spokesman.

02.04.2025 - 11:56 [ TheMediaLine.com ]

Jerusalem Post Editor Questioned in Expanding Qatargate Scandal

Authorities suspect the pair of contact with a foreign agent, bribery, money laundering, fraud, and breach of trust. The court extended their detention until Thursday, with Judge Menachem Mizrahi citing “reasonable suspicion” of wrongdoing and the risk of obstruction.

Prime Minister Netanyahu, who was questioned under caution but is not currently a suspect, dismissed the investigation as politically driven.

02.04.2025 - 11:45 [ Jerusalem Post ]

‚Post‘ editor Zvika Klein named as journalist questioned by police in Qatargate investigation

Zvika Klein, The Jerusalem Post’s editor-in-chief, was named on Tuesday as the journalist who was questioned by police the day before as part of the investigation into actions by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s aides Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein.

During Klein’s testimony as a witness, he was cautioned but the nature of any allegations against him has not been specified.

01.04.2025 - 12:50 [ Jerusalem Post ]

Netanyahu trial ends abruptly, overshadowed by Qatargate scandal

(March 31, 2025)

The 20th session of the testimony of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in his criminal corruption trial ended unexpectedly early on Wednesday, as suspicions swirled around the involvement of figures close to Netanyahu with Qatar.

01.04.2025 - 12:43 [ i24News.com ]

Eli Feldstein, Yonatan Urich arrested in ‚Qatar-Gate‘ affair

(March 31, 2025)

The Israel Police on Monday announced that it had arrested two employees of the Prime Minister‘s Office as part of the „Qatar-gate“ investigation.

The two have been identified as Eli Feldstein and Yonatan Urich, with the arrest coming on the 20th day of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu‘s testimony in his corruption case at the District Court in Tel Aviv.

01.04.2025 - 12:33 [ Washington Post ]

Top Netanyahu aides arrested as investigation into payments from Qatar escalates

(Updated March 31, 2025 at 3:34 p.m. EDT)

Jonatan Urich and and Eli Feldstein were arrested amid increasing allegations that Netanyahu’s inner circle was involved in the transfer of money from Qatar, a key backer of Hamas.

20.03.2025 - 19:42 [ Yair Wallach / Bluesky ]

Context: his closest advisor, the person who knows everything about him, is now suspected of espionage and money laundering.

(…)

20.03.2025 - 13:08 [ Ynetnews.com ]

Netanyahu blasts ‘leftist Deep State’ in response to ‘Qatar-Gate’ arrests

(March 19, 2025)

According to reports, Feldstein—who previously failed a security clearance test—was unable to receive a salary from Netanyahu’s office through official channels. Instead, he was allegedly paid indirectly through Qatari-linked funds, transferred via the Qatari government, which sent the money to lobbyist Jay Footlik; Footlik himself, who transferred funds to Israeli businessman Gil Birger; and Birger, whose company allegedly funneled the money to Feldstein.

20.03.2025 - 12:26 [ Times of Israel ]

Reports say today’s 2 detainees in ‘Qatargate’ probe are suspected of contact with foreign agent

(March 19, 2025)

The arrests came hours after the Kan public broadcaster aired recordings in which Gulf-based Israeli businessman Gil Birger admitted to transferring money from a Qatari employed lobbyist to Netanyahu aide Eli Feldstein.

A sweeping court-issued gag order in effect until April 10 bars the publication of most details regarding the investigation.

20.03.2025 - 12:24 [ Times of Israel ]

Police detain, grill 2 suspects as part of probe into Qatari payments to Netanyahu aides

(March 19, 2025)

The arrests are made hours after the Kan public broadcaster aired recordings in which a Gulf-based Israeli businessman admitted to transferring money from a Qatari employed lobbyist to Netanyahu aide Eli Feldstein.

Israeli businessman Gil Birger, via a private company, paid Feldstein while the latter was working as Netanyahu’s spokesman, according to Kan.

20.03.2025 - 12:18 [ Axios ]

Netanyahu moves to fire intel chief who is investigating his aides

(March 16, 2025)

– The investigation, dubbed „Qatar-Gate“ in the Israeli press, focused on alleged payments Netanyahu‘s advisers facilitated and received from Qatar in return for working on improving the image of the country in Israel.
– Qatar is one of the key mediators in the Gaza hostage and ceasefire deal. But Netanyahu‘s decision in 2018 to ask Qatar to transfer money to Hamas in Gaza for humanitarian purposes became one of the main points of criticism against him after the Oct. 7 attack.
– The Shin Bet determined a portion of that money went to Hamas‘ military build-up.

20.03.2025 - 11:47 [ Ynetnews.com ]

Court slaps total gag order on explosive ‘Qatar-Gate’ investigation

(March 11, 2025)

Two weeks ago, Baharav-Miara stated that the probe would be conducted by the Israel Police and the Shin Bet security agency. The case focuses on three close associates of Netanyahu:

– Eli Feldstein, a spokesperson who has already been investigated and indicted in a separate case involving leaked classified documents.
– Jonathan Urich, an adviser and spokesperson also implicated in the classified documents case, where he allegedly corresponded directly with Feldstein regarding the leaked material.
– Israel Einhorn, a campaign consultant involved in Likud‘s election efforts.

20.03.2025 - 11:31 [ theMedialine.org ]

Hostage Families Outraged by Alleged Leak From Prime Minister’s Office

(November 4, 2024)

During that period, the US, Qatar, and Egypt were mediating talks between Israel and Hamas, seeking a framework for a ceasefire and a potential hostage release. Both sides ultimately accused the other of obstructing progress. Hostage families, frustrated by the lack of movement, joined journalists in a petition to lift the gag order on Feldstein’s case.

20.03.2025 - 11:23 [ Jerusalem Post ]

Netanyahu‘s spokesman verified suspect passed leaked documents to Bild

(NOVEMBER 19, 2024)

Yonatan Urich, spokesperson for Benjamin Netanyahu, verified that the primary suspect in the Prime Minister‘s Office leaks scandal, Eliezar Feldstein, had passed classified information to the German newspaper Bild, according to a report by KAN11.

Urich, who was investigated along with other employees of the PMO, verified with Feldstein that he had passed the classified documents to the „Husid“ (devotee), the codename for Shrulik Einhorn, their main contact at the Bild.