(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.
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.
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.
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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.
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.
Businessman Gil Birger has been questioned by police under caution in the Qatargate scandal, Hebrew media reports, after a gag order on the matter was lifted.
In recordings aired last month, the Israeli businessman based in the Gulf said he transferred money from a Qatar-employed US lobbyist to a top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
(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.
(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.
(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.