Israeli PM's Advisors Arrested in Qatar Corruption Scandal
The Israeli police announced the arrest of two close advisors to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, in connection with the so-called "Qatargate" scandal. This investigation, led by the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security service, suspects that Netanyahu's associates received bribes from Qatar.
The arrests were made after an inquiry by the National Unit for International Investigations (Yahbal). A police statement revealed that the case remains under a publication ban as ordered by the court. Netanyahu, who testified in the investigation, dismissed it as politically motivated and claimed that his advisors were being "held hostage" by the authorities.
The Qatargate case involves allegations of bribery, with Qatar, a Gulf state with no diplomatic ties to Israel, being accused of influencing Israeli political figures. The country has long been a supporter of the Palestinian Hamas movement and is acting as a mediator in Gaza ceasefire negotiations.
In a statement, Netanyahu's Likud party condemned the arrests, calling them a new low in what they describe as a political witch hunt. The party also linked the timing of the investigations to Netanyahu’s push to remove Ronen Bar, the head of Shin Bet, which was blocked by Israel's Supreme Court until April 8.
Despite this, Netanyahu appointed former Navy Commander Eli Sharvit as the new head of Shin Bet. Meanwhile, the Israeli government is also attempting to remove Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, who has expressed reservations about the dismissal of Bar. Likud members have accused both the Attorney General and Bar of using the ongoing investigations to prevent the changes in leadership.
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