Netanyahu Advisor Urikh Escaped Conflict of Interest Deal, Claims Ex-aide Hefetz
Translated & summarized from Kan News by baba
Nir Hefetz, a former advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, claims that Jonathan Urikh, a close aide to Netanyahu, was not subjected to conflict of interest regulations despite suspicions of working for Qatar. Hefetz, a state witness in the Netanyahu case, stated that Netanyahu was aware of the need for such an agreement for Urikh. Recent reports also suggest Urikh extracted classified information from cabinet meetings, allegedly with Netanyahu's approval. A court previously overturned Urikh's removal from the Prime Minister's office.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Former Netanyahu aide Nir Hefetz claims advisor Jonathan Urikh evaded conflict of interest rules.
- Urikh is suspected of advising Qatar, which should have triggered conflict of interest disclosures.
- Hefetz, a state witness, stated Netanyahu knew Urikh required a conflict of interest agreement.
- Urikh allegedly extracted security information from cabinet meetings with Netanyahu's approval.
- A court previously rejected Urikh's removal from the Prime Minister's office.
Nir Hefetz, former spokesperson and advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, alleged in a Friday interview that Jonathan Urikh, a close advisor to Netanyahu, did not undergo conflict of interest checks despite the Prime Minister's knowledge that such an arrangement was required. Hefetz stated that Urikh, according to suspicions, also worked for Qatar and advised them against Egypt, which should have necessitated a conflict of interest disclosure due to his involvement in security matters. Hefetz suggested Urikh could have easily approached Ronen Bar, then head of the Shin Bet, for a necessary disclosure upon entering cabinet meetings.
Hefetz, who served as an external consultant to the Netanyahu family from 2015 to 2018, explained that his own conflict of interest agreement required him to report his client list quarterly to the Legal Advisor of the Prime Minister's Office and Deputy State Attorney Dina Zilber. He noted that the Attorney General had sent a letter about this agreement to both him and the Prime Minister, indicating Netanyahu was aware of the need for a similar arrangement for Urikh.
Responding to claims that Urikh is a Likud employee and campaign manager, Hefetz countered that he himself held a similar position, earning an estimated NIS 32,000 monthly from the Likud, yet still had an agreement. Hefetz speculated that Netanyahu's reluctance to distance Urikh from his office stems from a desire to avoid dominating the news cycle.
Hefetz, who described himself as a state witness in the Netanyahu case, asserted his testimony is "pure truth." He is currently suing the state for millions in the Haifa District Court, claiming unlawful damages. Recent reports from Kan News in December 2025 revealed police possession of communications showing Eli Feldstein updating Urikh on pro-Qatar messages, though Urikh denied involvement in the "Qatargate" affair. In mid-January, a Rishon LeZion Magistrate's Court overturned Urikh's removal from the Prime Minister's office, with Judge Menachem Mizrahi stating suspicions against him were based on an evolving account from Feldstein inconsistent with other evidence.
Further revelations from Urikh's interrogation, as exposed by Kan News, suggest he extracted information from the Political-Security Cabinet, allegedly on Netanyahu's orders. Both Netanyahu's testimony and Urikh's interrogation indicated the Prime Minister authorized Urikh to release security information from cabinet discussions, reinforcing investigators' and a judge's belief that Urikh's role extended beyond that of an external political advisor.
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