Netanyahu Advisor Accused of Using AI for Qatar Image Campaign

During his questioning, investigators confronted Urich with printouts of his AI queries. The transcripts show Urich requested a "global public opinion change strategy" and ideas to "whiten" and "whitewash" Qatar, a nation that hosts senior officials of the terrorist organization Hamas. He specifically sought three key messages tailored for Israeli citizens, global Jewish communities, and opinion leaders in the United States to enhance the reputation of Qatar's prime minister and emir.

Urich initially denied any involvement in a pro-Qatari campaign originating from the Prime Minister's Office, previously claiming his work for the Qatari government was limited to the 2022 World Cup when Netanyahu was in the opposition. When confronted with the ChatGPT logs, Urich stated he did not recall the specific queries, noting that he asks the AI about many topics. He maintained that he did not act on the chatbot's responses and did nothing to promote Qatar's interests in Israel, its media, or toward the Prime Minister.

The revelations have drawn fierce condemnation from Israeli political figures. Gadi Eisenkot called Urich a "Qatari agent" who exerted psychological terror on Israelis, demanding his immediate dismissal and stating that the current government would be removed in 15 days. Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett described the affair as "the most severe betrayal case in the country's history," while families of October 7 victims and hostages expressed deep outrage.