Netanyahu Aide Used ChatGPT for Qatar Image Campaign, Probe Reveals

Investigation materials in the "Qatargate" affair reveal that Yonatan Urich, a close advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, utilized ChatGPT to construct a public relations campaign aimed at improving Qatar's image. According to reports based on interrogation transcripts, Urich allegedly entered the Kirya military headquarters over 150 times while working for the Gulf state. He reportedly sought to develop a strategic plan to rehabilitate the standing of Qatar, which hosts senior Hamas officials. Urich initially denied any involvement in a pro-Qatari campaign originating from the Prime Minister's office during his police interrogation. He maintained his previous account that his work for Qatar was solely related to the World Cup and a period when Netanyahu was in opposition.

However, investigators confronted Urich with printouts of his communications with the AI in September 2024, during the ongoing war. The materials presented indicated Urich asked the chatbot to devise a "global public opinion change strategy" concerning Qatar. In one explicit request, Urich stated he needed ideas for the Qatari Prime Minister and the Emir to "whiten Qatar and improve its image." He also specified target audiences for these messages, including Israeli citizens, global Jewish communities, and U.S. opinion leaders.

Faced with the digital evidence, Urich reportedly maintained his stance, claiming he did not recall the specific exchange and that he uses the AI for various topics. He emphasized during questioning that he never acted to benefit Qatar within Israel, whether in media, civilian matters, or directly with the Prime Minister. These new revelations have sparked significant political backlash. Gadi Eisenkot, chairman of the Yisrael Beiteinu party, criticized Urich's continued employment in the Prime Minister's office, calling him a "Qatari agent who conducted psychological terror against Israeli citizens" and urged Netanyahu to fire him immediately. Naftali Bennett, chairman of the Yamina party, also reacted strongly, labeling the incident "the most severe betrayal in the country's history" and highlighting that individuals within the Prime Minister's office allegedly worked during wartime to improve the image of Hamas's financier.