Full Breakdown
Qatargate Scandal Looms Over Netanyahu’s Election Bid
By Drooid · · How we work
The Core Allegations and Election Timeline
A network of advisers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—media adviser Jonatan Urich and military spokesman Eli Feldstein—has been accused of receiving cash from Qatar through the political-consultancy firm Perception, founded by Yisrael “Srulik” Einhorn.
The scandal, dubbed “Qatargate,” has become a focal point of the campaign for the general election scheduled for 27 October. Demonstrators have linked the affair to Netanyahu’s handling of the October 7, 2023 war, and protests continued into 2025, underscoring the issue’s persistence in public discourse.
Origins and Alleged Operations
Einhorn, a former advertising executive who once joined five of Netanyahu’s election campaigns (2019-2022), began working for Qatar by promoting the 2022 World Cup as “Jewish-friendly,” including claims of kosher food at stadiums. The New Yorker reports that his consultancy later created bogus social-media accounts to disseminate pro-Qatar narratives and that “suitcases” of cash were transferred to Gaza under Israeli Defence Forces supervision. Feldstein is alleged to have received separate payments from a Washington lobbyist linked to Qatar.
Official Statements & Responses
- The Prime Minister’s Office issued a denial that “Netanyahu never received a shekel from Qatar” “Netanyahu never received a shekel from Qatar” — Prime Minister’s Office.
- Urich has denied wrongdoing, arguing that Qatar was not an enemy state and that payments related only to World Cup promotion.
- Feldstein claimed he did not realize he was part of a Qatari campaign.
- Netanyahu accused former Mossad official Udi Levi of fabricating documents that purported to show Qatar offering the prime minister “millions of dollars,” labeling the claim an “absolute and baseless lie.”
Verbatim Quote
- “Netanyahu never received a shekel from Qatar” — Prime Minister’s Office