Israel's Channel 13 snippet on the flow of cash to Eli Feldstein in Qatargate (video snippet)
Picture of a channel 13 explains the alleged Qatargate flow

Qatargate: Feldstein in Court, A Journalist's Mea Culpa & More

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The Judean Staff
Judicial

The Israeli political landscape has been rocked to its core as the Qatargate investigation barrels forward, sweeping up high-profile political figures, media personalities, and lobbyists in a scandal that is fast becoming Israel’s most explosive political saga in decades.

In a dramatic turn of events Sunday morning, Eli Feldstein, a central suspect in the investigation and a media strategist linked to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, was temporarily released from house arrest to appear at the headquarters of Israel’s elite National Crime Unit. Investigators described the interrogation as “critical and urgent,” suggesting that new revelations had surfaced—ones that could alter the trajectory of the case entirely.

A Chilling Atmosphere of Betrayal

According to senior Justice Ministry sources, the mood inside the National Crime Unit is “tense but resolute,” as investigators work to unravel what they describe as a “murky, high-stakes web of foreign interference, covert media manipulation, and classified intelligence leaks.”

Right behind Feldstein in the spotlight is Yonatan Urich, another top suspect. The former communications aide is set to be released from prison to house arrest on Monday, where he will face additional rounds of questioning. Both Urich and Feldstein are suspected of illegally promoting pro-Qatar messaging through unofficial and covert backchannels, possibly without the knowledge—or perhaps with the tacit approval—of senior Israeli officials.

Media Under Fire: “I Was So Naive”

The scandal took a surreal twist when Zvika Klein, Editor-in-Chief of The Jerusalem Post, confessed in a live Army Radio interview to being misled by those feeding him information.

“As time goes by, I go over the conversations… I was so naive,” Klein admitted.
“People working for the Prime Minister were pushing narratives that aligned with the interests of a foreign government. It’s delusional.”
“I know other journalists who were convinced they were getting direct lines from the PM—when in fact, they were being manipulated.”

Klein, who was initially brought in as a witness, has since been cautioned as a suspect, placed under house arrest, and later released. He maintains his innocence and denies any willful involvement.

Several other journalists have also testified, though only as witnesses—for now.

Bennett Explodes: “They Worked for Hamas’s Engine”

Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett didn’t mince words in a blistering X/Twitter post Saturday night: “In secret, through lies, through a scheme—the closest advisors to the Prime Minister worked for the engine of Hamas. It’s madness.”

Bennett, who just launched a new political party, emphasized that Qatar bankrolls Hamas, shelters its leaders, and owns Al Jazeera, which he called a propaganda machine against Israel. “While our children are fighting a war, Netanyahu’s closest aides were receiving money from the regime funding our enemy,” Bennett alleged.
“Let me say this again so you understand: They worked for Qatar. Not for us.”

Digital Forensics Uncover a Goldmine of Deleted Messages

Law enforcement sources confirmed to Walla News that police have seized multiple phones belonging to Urich, and forensic teams are now working to recover deleted messages linking him directly to the Classified Documents Affair.

That affair centers on the leak of top-secret material to Germany’s Bild newspaper. Feldstein and Ari Rosenfeld have already been indicted in that case.

One investigator said, “The data we’re recovering may crack open a parallel conspiracy—a coordinated effort to launder sensitive national intelligence for foreign and political gain.”

The Man Who Vanished: Where Is Yisrael Einhorn?

Another name now gaining attention is Yisrael Einhorn, a seasoned political consultant with deep ties to the Likud Party. Einhorn is suspected of brokering deals between Israeli insiders and foreign interests, including those linked to Bild and Qatari operations.

He’s currently residing in Serbia—and defying repeated Israeli summons to appear for questioning. His mother, Prof. Talia Einhorn, has curiously attended every court hearing in his stead.

Authorities this week officially declared Einhorn a suspect for the first time, marking a major shift in the investigation’s trajectory.

Netanyahu Testifies: The Inner Circle Under the Microscope

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu himself has already testified in the investigation, further legitimizing the scope and gravity of the case. According to a revelatory letter submitted by Deputy Attorney-General Gil Limon to the High Court, the Qatargate and Bild investigations are deeply interlinked.

Limon described “systematic patterns of unethical and possibly criminal coordination between senior advisors, journalists, and foreign operatives.”

Reports now suggest that multiple figures in Netanyahu’s inner circle could be next in line for interrogation—if not indictment.

Transatlantic Twist: U.S. Lobbyist Jay Footlik Under Investigation

In a development with serious international implications, Israeli investigators are preparing to dispatch a team to the United States to question Jay Footlik, a U.S.-based lobbyist with ties to Qatar.

Footlik allegedly orchestrated payments through Israeli businessman Gil Birger to Feldstein—money said to be funneled discreetly under the guise of VAT reimbursements, all in service of advancing Qatari interests inside Israel’s highest political offices.

Feldstein Under Pressure: Will He Flip?

With mounting evidence and legal walls closing in, authorities are now pressuring Feldstein to turn state’s witness. Should he agree, the dominoes could begin to fall—fast.

As the investigation intensifies, a legal ethics storm is now brewing around Amit Haddad, Netanyahu’s longtime attorney. Haddad represents Netanyahu, Urich, and Einhorn simultaneously, raising alarm bells across the legal community.

The Israel Bar Association’s Ethics Committee is now investigating whether Haddad’s simultaneous representation constitutes a serious conflict of interest.

Even Magistrate Judge Menachem Mizrahi called it “deeply problematic,” comparing it to “a single lawyer representing both the accused and a state witness.” Haddad has been given a deadline to explain himself and has already threatened legal retaliation against the accusations.

The Bigger Picture: Who’s Really Pulling the Strings?

With powerful media figures exposed, political insiders under scrutiny, and Qatari connections coming to light, Qatargate has grown far beyond what anyone initially imagined.

The story now touches:

  • Classified intelligence leaks
  • Foreign influence at the highest levels
  • War-time betrayal of national interests
  • Alleged media manipulation orchestrated from abroad

With new suspects expected to be summoned, and top-level confidants of Netanyahu already under the microscope, Israel is bracing for what could become the most significant political scandal in its history.

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