‘Qatar-gate’: Court imposes broad gag order on investigation of ties between Netanyahu aides and Gulf country

An Israeli court on Monday imposed a sweeping gag order forbidding the public disclosure of any details regarding an investigation dubbed “Qatar-gate,” which probes the ties between aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Qatar.

The investigation is based on the suspicion that senior aides to the prime minister, including the subject of the country’s most sensationalized ongoing investigation, Eli Feldstein, received large sums to improve Qatar's image in Israel.

The gag order issued by the Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court is unusually broad. It prohibits the publication of any detail related to the investigation, of any results from investigative actions, including the questioning of suspects.

This covers all forms of publication, including social media, full or partial quotes from publications in foreign media, references to them, online publications, and any other media channels, and even any direct or indirect hint regarding the existence of any fact related to the matter.

The investigation is being conducted by “Israel’s FBI,” the elite investigative unit of the police – Lahav 433, as well as the domestic intelligence agency, Shin Bet, and was announced by Attorney-General Gali Baharav-Miara about two weeks ago.

The three known suspects are Feldstein, Israel Einhorn, who served as an advisor in the Likud's election campaign, and the reported main suspect, Netanyahu’s media advisor, Jonatan Urich.

Feldstein is the key suspect in the "leaked documents scandal," accused of leaking a sensitive intelligence document to bypass the official military process, allegedly using it to sway public opinion on Netanyahu's behalf.

Ynet News reported that Feldstein is suspected of receiving payments from a private international company to manage media campaigns promoting Qatar’s image in Israel while serving as Netanyahu’s military spokesman.

Feldstein is said to have offered journalists interviews with senior officials in Qatar and conveyed official messages to influence them.

Urich and Einhorn reportedly also provided image consulting for Qatar, including during the 2022 World Cup, when the Gulf country faced a wave of criticism over its human rights abuses and terror ties.

The suspects have denied the claims, while Netanyahu and his Likud party have characterized the investigation as another attempt to smear his image and “persecute” him.

“When the fabricated cases against Prime Minister Netanyahu fall apart in court, new and false cases are being fabricated against his people, out of personal interests of those leading the investigation. We see you,” Likud stated.

Israel and Qatar do not have official diplomatic ties, however, between 1996 and 2009, the two nations had trade relations, which Doha severed due to a previous war in Gaza at the time.

Despite being Hamas’ most important sponsor, Qatar has also been mediating the hostage release negotiations between the terror group and Israel.