Prime Minister Netanyahu has accused Israeli police of attempting to “topple” his government, alleging a “political witch hunt.” In a video statement released Monday, Netanyahu asserted that the police lacked evidence against his two arrested aides.
Netanyahu was summoned on Monday to testify in an ongoing investigation into alleged financial connections. He stated that he was questioned for an hour before requesting evidence, which he claims was nonexistent.
Eli Feldstein and Yonatan Urich, the aides mentioned by Netanyahu in the video, were reportedly arrested on Monday in connection with the investigation. Feldstein, a former member of Netanyahu’s team, is suspected of relaying messages to journalists on behalf of Qatar while employed in the prime minister’s office.
The messages Feldstein is accused of sending to the media purportedly concerned Qatar’s involvement in negotiating the return of Israeli hostages, among other matters.
However, the case is currently under a gag order, preventing the official release of charges against Feldstein and Urich. Reports, citing Israeli media, indicate that Urich and Feldstein are accused of contact with a foreign agent, bribery, and fraud.
reports that its editor-in-chief, Zivka Klein, was questioned by police regarding the Qatar probe on Tuesday. Klein has previously denied any connection with Feldstein after an Israeli outlet reported that he arranged a trip to Qatar for her.
Netanyahu contends that the probe, often called “Qatargate,” aims to prevent him from dismissing , the head of the Israeli equivalent of the FBI.
Last month, Netanyahu announced his intention to remove Bar due to alleged “ongoing distrust.” However, some believe it is linked to the Shin Bet’s assessment of Oct. 7, which “pointed to a policy led by the government, and the person who has headed it, for years, with emphasis on the year preceding the massacre,” reported .
Bar criticized Netanyahu’s “expectation of a duty of personal loyalty, the purpose of which contradicts the public interest, is a fundamentally illegitimate expectation,” according to .
Israel’s High Court halted Bar’s removal, initially scheduled for April 8, but allowed Netanyahu to interview potential replacements. Netanyahu’s office announced on Monday that he had selected former Israeli Navy commander, Vice Adm. Eli Sharvit, as Bar’s replacement.
“Sharvit served in the IDF for 36 years, including five years as commander of the Israel Navy. In that position, he led the force building of the maritime defense of the territorial waters and conducted complex operations against Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran,” Netanyahu’s office tweeted.
Digital’s Alex Nitzberg and Yonat Friling contributed to this report.
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