Netanyahu Aide Admits Qatar Influence Work Continued During War
Translated & summarized from Arutz Sheva by baba
Yonatan Urich, an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, admitted in the "Qatargate" investigation to receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels for work promoting Qatar's image, which he estimated continued until mid-to-late 2024. Urich claimed he did not inform Netanyahu of this work and denied any conflict of interest. He provided shifting accounts of when the project ended, but eventually suggested it lasted well into 2024, even after the October 7th attacks. Netanyahu had previously stated he was unaware of Urich's work for Qatar.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Netanyahu advisor Yonatan Urich admitted to receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels for promoting Qatar's image.
- Urich estimated his work for Qatar continued until mid-to-late 2024, well into the current war.
- He claimed he did not inform Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu about his work for Qatari entities.
- Urich denied any conflict of interest or moral impropriety in his dual roles.
- Prime Minister Netanyahu had previously stated he was unaware of Urich's work for Qatar.
- The investigation focused on the timeline of Urich's engagement and potential conflicts of interest.
Yonatan Urich, a close advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, confirmed during questioning in the "Qatargate" affair that he received hundreds of thousands of shekels for work aimed at promoting Qatar's image. Urich estimated that this project continued until mid-to-late 2024, well after the October 7th attacks and amidst the ongoing war, according to Channel 12 news.
Urich stated that he did not inform Prime Minister Netanyahu about his work on the Qatari project, and that the entities for whom he worked were also unaware of his role advising Netanyahu. He rejected claims of a conflict of interest, asserting no moral or professional impropriety in his conduct.
Investigators focused on the timeline of his engagement with Qatari entities. Urich initially provided varying accounts of when his work concluded, sometimes struggling to recall exact dates. When asked if he continued working for Qatari entities after October 7th, he replied, "Certainly, not in Israel." He later expressed uncertainty about whether the project ended before or after the attack, estimating a two-month discrepancy.
However, when pressed on later dates, Urich offered a different estimate, suggesting his work might have extended to mid-to-late 2024. He attributed the notification of the project's end to Shalil Einhorn, with whom he was connected through this activity.
Investigators also probed how Urich's work for Qatar was managed alongside his duties in Israel, particularly the apparent contradiction between promoting Qatar's image and working on messages against it for the Prime Minister. Urich maintained these were separate spheres of activity and that, as an external consultant, he felt no obligation to disclose other engagements to Netanyahu. He denied that either party was unaware of his work for the other.
Urich was confronted with Netanyahu's testimony, in which the Prime Minister stated he was unaware of his advisor's work for Qatari entities and expressed disbelief that Urich received money from Qatar. Urich responded to this by saying, "That's between him and me." He continued to deny any wrongdoing when questioned about why he didn't cease his work after October 7th or at least inform Netanyahu.
