Netanyahu Met Secretly With Former Mossad Official Tied to Qatar Project Post-Oct 7
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly met with a former senior Mossad official, known as 'S', in summer 2024, months after the October 7th attacks. The official allegedly asked Netanyahu to temper anti-Qatar remarks by government ministers. Investigators suspect Netanyahu's advisor, Jonathan Uriach, facilitated the meeting, a claim Uriach denies. Uriach is also accused of being asked to influence ministers critical of Qatar, which he also denies.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a secret meeting with former Mossad official 'S' in summer 2024.
- The official allegedly asked Netanyahu to moderate government criticism of Qatar.
- Investigators suspect Netanyahu's advisor Jonathan Uriach helped arrange the meeting.
- Uriach denies coordinating the meeting or being asked to influence ministers.
- The meeting occurred after October 7th and is not in Netanyahu's official schedule.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu held a secret meeting in the summer of 2024 with a former senior Mossad official, identified only as 'S', who is allegedly involved in Qatar's influence project in Israel. The meeting, which took place months after the October 7th attacks and is not recorded in the Prime Minister's official schedule, reportedly involved 'S' asking Netanyahu to moderate harsh government statements against Qatar. At the time, Netanyahu himself maintained a strong stance against the Gulf state, while 'S' was reportedly working to advance Qatari interests in Israel.
'S', who previously held a senior position at the Mossad and concluded his service with the UAE, later became involved in business dealings with Qatar, including work on the World Cup project. His activities continued after October 7th, allegedly including facilitating meetings between Netanyahu's close advisor, Jonathan Uriach, and Israel Einhorn, and a senior Qatari official, Ali Al-Thuwadi. These meetings were reportedly part of a joint project called 'Lighthouse,' which post-October 7th allegedly shifted focus to improving Qatar's image amid accusations of funding Hamas.
Investigators from the Lahav 433 international investigations unit suspect that Uriach, who worked in the Prime Minister's office while also being involved in the Qatari project, helped arrange the meeting between Netanyahu and 'S'. During his interrogation, Uriach denied coordinating the meeting or being asked by 'S' to arrange sessions with the Prime Minister, stating he did not recall specific requests and that the Prime Minister knew 'S' independently. He also denied being asked by 'S' to approach ministers Amichai Chikli, Nir Barkat, and Ron Dermer to curb their critical remarks about Qatar, despite investigators presenting evidence suggesting otherwise. Uriach asserted he never compromised national security and that his work on the project was directed externally.
Uriach's involvement with Qatar, including receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels for work after October 7th, was previously reported. The current investigation highlights concerns about the extent to which Qatar, a state accused of funding Hamas, sought to leverage individuals connected to the Prime Minister's office to influence senior Israeli officials, including the Prime Minister himself.
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