Netanyahu's Advisor Met Qatar Emir's Confidant During War, PM Claims Ignorance

Yonatan Urich, a close advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed during an investigation that he met with a senior Qatari official during the recent war. Prime Minister Netanyahu testified that he was unaware of these meetings or his advisor's business dealings in Qatar. The revelations emerged from Urich's investigation, where he was presented with testimony indicating that in July 2024, he met at least twice in Europe with Ali Al-Thawadi, a close confidant of the Emir of Qatar. These meetings were not part of any official diplomatic mission or on behalf of Israel.

The timing of these encounters, nine months after the war began, is a significant aspect of the story, with a key advisor to the Prime Minister meeting a senior figure from the Gulf state. According to Netanyahu's testimony, he had no knowledge of this activity. Urich, the Prime Minister stated, did not inform him about his business in Qatar, did not update him on the meetings, and did not discuss the country with him.

During an investigation on May 19, 2025, at Lahav 433, investigators presented Urich with testimony from a former senior Mossad official. This testimony described at least two meetings between Urich, his partner Sharulik Einhorn, and Al-Thawadi, where they presented ideas. Urich confirmed the meeting with the senior official but stated, "I barely remember one" when questioned about the meetings. Al-Thawadi is described as a key figure in the Emir of Qatar's inner circle, whom the police referred to as the "Israel project leader."

According to the testimony presented, Al-Thawadi met with Urich and Einhorn in Europe after the October 7th attack. Al-Thawadi's position lends significant weight to these meetings, beyond just traveling abroad. Urich's account differs regarding the presence of lobbyist Jay Fotlik at a meeting in Berlin; in his April questioning, Urich claimed he did not know Fotlik and had never met him, a denial he reiterated in a response to Channel 12, though he did not address the meetings with Al-Thawadi.

Al-Thawadi was also present at a White House meeting where Netanyahu was required to apologize for an Israeli strike against Hamas leadership in Doha. He attended on behalf of the Emir of Qatar to ensure the apology matched the text approved by the Qataris. This indicates that the individual Urich met with in Europe also participated in a high-level diplomatic event involving the Prime Minister himself.

This information expands the understanding of Urich's activities concerning Qatar. In addition to inquiries made to ChatGPT for a public relations plan, it has now emerged that during the war, he also met with an associate of the Emir. These connections were maintained while Urich served as a close advisor to Netanyahu, who claims he was unaware of them. The central question now is how this activity occurred without the Prime Minister's knowledge and what the objective of these meetings was.