Netanyahu Advisor Earned Over $300,000 From Foreign Clients During War
Translated & summarized from Kipa by baba
Yonatan Urich, an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly earned over 1.2 million shekels from foreign clients, including Qatar, during the recent war. The payments were made through Perception Company for projects including promoting Qatar. Urich claims he was permitted to do this as an external consultant for the Likud party, a claim reportedly accepted by one judge but questioned by another due to potential conflicts of interest and security concerns. The State Prosecutor's Office is reviewing the issue of external consultants.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- PM Netanyahu's advisor Yonatan Urich earned 1.2 million shekels from foreign clients during the war.
- Payments were allegedly made by Perception Company for projects including promoting Qatar.
- Urich claims he was permitted to do outside work as a Likud external consultant.
- A judge reportedly accepted Urich's defense, while another raised conflict of interest concerns.
- The State Prosecutor's Office is reviewing the status of external consultants in the PM's office.
Yonatan Urich, an advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, reportedly earned approximately 1.2 million shekels (about $320,000) in nine months during the war from foreign clients, including Qatar. The report from Kan News on Sunday detailed that Urich officially worked as an external consultant for the Prime Minister during this period, but was allegedly involved in a more significant role within the Prime Minister's office.
According to investigation materials, Urich received payments from Perception Company, owned by Sharulik Einhorn. Specific payments included 68,000 shekels in January 2024, approximately 178,000 shekels in February, 99,000 in March, 79,000 in April, and 206,000 in May. He also received three additional transfers of 187,000 shekels each in August and September.
Some of these funds were related to a project called "Lighthouse," aimed at promoting Qatar globally. Urich allegedly received $18,000 from Perception Company for this project, as previously reported by Kan News a year ago. The payments from Qatar are under criminal and security review, alongside an examination of the status of external consultants in the Prime Minister's bureau.
Urich's defense is that he was employed as an external consultant for the Likud party and was therefore permitted to engage in other work. Judge Menachem Mizrahi reportedly accepted this argument. However, Judge Amit Michels highlighted the problematic nature of employing a consultant working closely with the Prime Minister who also maintains professional ties with foreign entities, without a conflict of interest arrangement or security clearance.
The State Prosecutor's Office is currently working to regulate the status of external consultants in the Prime Minister's bureau. Key issues include the scope of their activities, the obligation to report other work, and the necessity of vetting their connections with foreign entities, particularly for those operating near the Prime Minister during wartime.
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