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Netanyahu Adviser Admits Working for Qatar Post-Oct. 7

Yonatan Urich, a close advisor to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, admitted during questioning by Lahav 433 investigators in the Qatargate affair that he continued working to promote Qatar's image for months after the October 7, 2023, terrorist attacks. Urich estimated that his public relations work, which he conducted through a campaign called Project Lighthouse alongside former Netanyahu advisor Srulik Einhorn, extended until mid-to-late 2024. He stated that he received hundreds of thousands of shekels for his involvement.

7 newsrooms · 2 languages · since 19 Oct, 20:00

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Netanyahu Adviser Admits Working for Qatar Post-Oct. 7 — Illustration by baba

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What happened

01Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's advisor Yonatan Urich admitted to continuing public relations work for Qatar until mid-to-late 2024.
02Urich received hundreds of thousands of shekels for his role in Project Lighthouse, a campaign designed to improve Qatar's image.
03Urich stated that he did not inform Prime Minister Netanyahu about his paid work for Qatar.
04Prime Minister Netanyahu testified to investigators that he had no knowledge of Urich's work for the Qatari entities.
05Urich justified his involvement by citing the participation of respected security figures, including Maj. Gen. (res.) Poli Mordechai and former Mossad agents.
06Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the Qatargate affair the most serious case of treason in the history of Israel.
07Yair Golan demanded an investigation into Netanyahu's ties with Qatar, which has acted as a mediator in talks with the terrorist organization Hamas.

Urich asserted that he did not inform Netanyahu of his work for Qatar, stating that as an external consultant he was not required to disclose his outside activities. Netanyahu testified that he had no knowledge of Urich's engagement with Qatar. Urich defended his actions as ethical and professional, noting that he saw no conflict of interest and was reassured by the involvement of senior security figures, including Maj. Gen. (res.) Poli Mordechai and former Mossad agents.

While Urich denied promoting Qatar's interests inside Israel after the October 7 massacre, investigators questioned him on the contradiction of working for Doha while Netanyahu publicly criticized the country for hosting senior Hamas officials. Following the revelations, former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett called the affair the gravest case of treason in Israel's history, while Yair Golan demanded an investigation into Netanyahu's ties with Qatar.

Summarized by baba from the reports of 7 newsrooms. Updated 00:56