Bennett Accused of Fabricating Qatargate Scandal to Target Netanyahu

Former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is once again at the center of political controversy as accusations arise that Naftali Bennett is attempting to frame him in a new scandal dubbed 'Submarines 2.0.' This follows the earlier 'Submarines Affair' (Case 3000), which was initially portrayed as the most severe corruption case in Israel's history but ultimately found no evidence implicating Netanyahu.

According to political analyst Mati Tuchfeld, after Bennett's 'Enemy State' campaign failed to gain traction with the public, his team moved to invent a new narrative alleging that Netanyahu's advisers transferred sensitive materials to Qatar. These claims lack any legal or evidentiary support and do not appear in any ongoing investigation documents. The original investigation, led by Shin Bet under Ronen Bar, was a security probe, but political actors are accused of attempting to hijack it for partisan purposes.

Tuchfeld argues that this new campaign is doomed to fail for the same reasons the original submarines scandal faded: it is disconnected from reality and relies on distorted partial information. The Israeli public, he notes, has become adept at distinguishing genuine national security concerns from politically motivated fabrications. As with previous attempts, this spin is expected to collapse under factual scrutiny.

The article highlights the ongoing political tensions ahead of the 2026 elections, with Netanyahu and Bennett as key figures. It also references calls from former security chiefs to establish a dedicated investigative team for the Qatargate affair, underscoring the seriousness with which some view the allegations despite their contested nature.