Israel
Netanyahu speaks to former aide Urich for first time in a year as Qatargate restrictions lapse
The former prime ministerial spokesman recently announced his intention to return to government work if he clears his name
January 7, 2026 13:09
The former prime ministerial spokesman recently announced his intention to return to government work if he clears his name
January 7, 2026 13:09Prime Minister Netanyahu spoke to his former spokesman, Jonatan Urich, a key suspect in the “Qatargate” investigation, for the first time in a year on Tuesday after police restrictions on the latter lapsed this week.
Urich has been banned from having any contact with the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) since he was arrested and questioned on suspicion of receiving money to advance the public relations interests of Qatar in Israel.
Police are examining allegations against him, fellow aide Eli Feldstein, and campaign advisor Yisrael Einhorn in relation to the scandal, including claims that Urich continued to promote Qatari interests in exchange for cash for around a year after the October 7 attacks, despite the Gulf emirate’s close links to Hamas.
He is officially suspected of contact with a foreign agent, bribery, fraud and breach of trust, and money laundering, though formal charges are yet to be brought.
He is also under investigation in a separate case related to the alleged leaking of classified documents to the media to bolster Netanyahu’s own popularity.
Investigators petitioned the Rishon Lezion Magistrate Court’s last year to extend the restrictions on Urich and appealed to the Central District Court when this request was denied, arguing that letting him contact the PMO would be tantamount to allowing him to “return to the scene of the crime”.
But Judge Ami Kobo rejected the appeal on Tuesday found that the restrictions had already expired on Sunday, making it legally impossible to extend them.
In his ruling, Kobo also criticised police for their delay in requesting the extension, calling it “a failure for which there is no explanation”.
The PMO has not released any details of what Urich and Netanyahu discussed during their call on Tuesday.
Urich, for his part, has publicly stated through his lawyers, Amit Hadad and Noa Milstein, that he intends to return to work for the PMO if he is successful in clearing his name. Both Hadad and Milstein are also representing the prime minister himself during his ongoing corruption trial.
Netanyahu has strongly denied any knowledge of a coordinated effort to improve Qatar’s image in Israel and there is no suggestion that he was involved in the alleged wrongdoing.
It comes after Hebrew daily Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israel requested Qatar increase the level of funding it transfers to Gaza the month before the October 7 attacks.
The request was reportedly made by the Shin Bet and Cogat at a meeting in Jerusalem with Mohammed al-Emadi, Qatar’s envoy to Gaza.
Concerns have previously been raised by some MKs about the policy of allowing Qatar to provide humanitarian funding to Gaza via the Hamas government since 2018, with allegations that the money could be diverted to finance terror.
The PMO, however, has denied that Netanyahu was ever presented with a security assessment suggesting this to be the case. Netanyahu himself has also denied that Qatari funding aided Hamas’ military build-up, suggesting that this was due to weapons smuggled in from Egypt.
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