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Netanyahu's Ex-Advisors Linked to Putin-Sympathizing Romanian Party
Romanian investigators reported that two advisers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Yonatan Urich and Israel Einhorn, helped shape campaign messaging for Romania’s nationalist AUR party in 2026. AUR denied a formal collaboration, but confirmed it received a service offer.
8 newsrooms · 3 languages · sinceWhat happened
- 01Snoop.ro reported that Yonatan Urich and Israel Einhorn helped draft campaign messaging for Romania’s nationalist AUR party in 2026.
- 02The investigation was based on about 19,000 WhatsApp messages attributed to Urich and described strategy talks about Romanian politics.
- 03The material targeted President Nicușor Dan and the ruling coalition, using the slogan “120 days without a government.”
- 04Some of the campaign content later appeared on AUR’s official social media pages and in statements by party representatives.
- 05AUR denied formal collaboration with the Israeli advisers, but said it had received a service offer from them.
- 06The reports say Einhorn and George Simion were due to meet in Bucharest, after earlier meetings in Vienna in August and September.
- 07AUR’s 2024 presidential election result was annulled by Romania’s Constitutional Court over concerns about Russian interference.
The investigation, published by Snoop.ro, was based on thousands of WhatsApp messages and described discussions about Romanian politics, media strategy and campaign materials. The messages included plans targeting President Nicușor Dan and the ruling coalition, along with slogans, social media posts, graphics, website items and a video script.
According to the report, some of the material later appeared on AUR’s official pages and through party representatives. The investigation also said Einhorn and AUR leader George Simion were due to meet in Bucharest, and that the consultants discussed meetings in Vienna in August and September.
The reports added that AUR has faced accusations of antisemitic and fascist remarks, and that its 2024 presidential election result was annulled by Romania’s Constitutional Court over concerns about Russian interference. Urich and Einhorn are also linked in the reports to Israeli investigations, including the Qatargate affair.
Summarized by baba from the reports of 8 newsrooms. Updated
Latest report: Cursorinfo. Read Cursorinfo’s originalThe coverage
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Netanyahu's Ex-Advisors Linked to Putin-Sympathizing Romanian Party