New Revelations Cast Doubt on Netanyahu Aide's QatarGate Testimony

Two recent revelations are casting significant doubt on the account provided by Yonatan Urich, a close advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in the ongoing QatarGate affair. The first, by i24NEWS, centers on WhatsApp communications involving Urich, Eli Feldstein (who worked in the Prime Minister's Office), and Gil Berger, who allegedly funded pro-Qatar messaging projects. Urich had previously claimed no knowledge of or involvement in a project to 'whitewash' Qatar led by Feldstein and Israel Einhorn.

The second revelation, from Channel 12 News, stems from Urich's police interrogation. Reports indicate he was presented with requests he made to ChatGPT in September 2024, seeking ideas to improve Qatar's image. These findings address different facets of the scandal: Urich's awareness of Feldstein and Einhorn's activities, and his own inquiries to AI about Qatar's public perception.

The QatarGate affair broadly involves two main channels of Qatari influence and funding: disseminating pro-Qatar and anti-Egypt messages within Israeli media, particularly concerning hostage deal mediation, and a "Lighthouse" campaign by Einhorn's company "Perception" to enhance Qatar's image, initially for the World Cup and later during the "Swords of Iron" war. Urich, who was also a business partner of Einhorn, is suspected of relaying pro-Qatar messages to Israeli journalists, presented as coming from a "diplomatic source."

Further details emerged regarding a report by Kan 11 on August 1, 2024, about the US administration asking Qatar to host the funeral of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Feldstein allegedly updated Urich hours before the report's publication, writing, "The Rabbi (Einhorn) and I are doing something problematic today. Just so you know." Urich reportedly called him for details. After the report, Feldstein shared the article with Urich, who responded cryptically. Feldstein also communicated with Berger, who funded the pro-Qatar messaging project, discussing leveraging the news, with Feldstein stating, "This is my work, brother. It didn't come from nowhere. We made this move. We built this all day."

During his police interrogation, Urich initially denied any connection to a pro-Qatar campaign, but was confronted with his ChatGPT queries. He allegedly asked the AI for an "strategic plan for global consciousness change" regarding Qatar and for ideas to improve its image, including specific messages for Israeli citizens, Jewish communities worldwide, and US opinion leaders, aiming to "help whitewash Qatar and improve its image." Urich maintained he doesn't recall specific queries and took no action based on them, asserting his innocence was proven in the investigation.

Urich's defense is that his ChatGPT queries were general and did not lead to any actions. However, the accumulation of evidence, including the WhatsApp exchanges showing he was pre-informed about a pro-Qatar media initiative and his interrogation revelations, makes reconciling his account with the facts increasingly difficult. The investigation into Urich was transferred to the State Attorney's Office in January for a decision on indictment, with suspicions including contact with a foreign agent, bribery, money laundering, fraud, and breach of trust. Separately, Urich was indicted in June for leaking classified documents to the German newspaper Bild, a case with overlapping individuals but distinct from QatarGate.