Israeli court rejects police request to arrest Netanyahu advisers
This image grab from handout video footage released by the Israeli Government Press Office (GPO) shows Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu giving a televised address in Jerusalem on January 18, 2025. (AFP Photo)
An Israeli court ordered the release to house arrest of two close aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Friday, dealing a setback to police who had sought to extend their detention in the ongoing “Qatargate” investigation.
Jonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, both advisers to Netanyahu, will remain under house arrest for two weeks following a ruling by Judge Menachem Mizrahi of the Central District Court, according to Israel’s public broadcaster KAN.
The decision came after a contentious court hearing where police had requested a seven-day extension of the aides’ detention. Authorities cited a preliminary report suggesting the men’s alleged actions constituted a “potential threat to national security” due to suspected meetings with a Qatari lobbying group.
Judge Mizrahi rejected the police request, criticizing what he called “the excessive and unjustified use of the security threat argument.” The judge noted that the report was merely a draft and lacked substantive evidence of direct harm to Israel’s security interests.
“The document did not present any clear indication of how the suspects’ actions had caused direct harm to Israel’s security,” Mizrahi said, according to KAN’s account of the proceedings.
The two aides were arrested Monday as part of the investigation Israeli authorities have dubbed “Qatargate.” The case centers on allegations that officials in Netanyahu’s office improperly promoted Qatari interests.
Israeli media reports suggest police believe Urich and Feldstein received money from a U.S.-based public relations firm working for Qatar to enhance the Gulf state’s image in Israel.
Qatar has firmly denied any involvement in the matter, while Netanyahu has dismissed the investigation as politically motivated.
“This is a political witch hunt aimed at toppling my right-wing government,” the prime minister has said.
The case continues to develop as tensions between the judiciary and Netanyahu’s government remain high following years of political turmoil and multiple indictments against the prime minister in separate corruption cases.
