Israeli court lifts gag order on ‘Qatargate,’ revealing that Jerusalem Post editor was interrogated under caution

The Rishon Letzion Magistrate’s Court on Tuesday decided to lift the broad gag order imposed on the affair dubbed “Qatargate,” following a request by one of the main suspects and close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Jonathan Urich.

His attorney, Amit Hadad, said he wanted to “expose the injustice being done, which screams out to the heavens,” and that the allegations were only “hot air designed for media purposes.”

Urich and a second main suspect, Eli Feldstein, both close aides of Netanyahu, are suspected of coordinating favorable media coverage of Qatar in Israel, particularly regarding its mediation with Hamas, while casting Egypt, the other primary mediator, in a negative light.

In his decision, Judge Menachem Mizrahi noted that he made the decision to lift the order because it had been repeatedly broken and “trampled” by media leaks, adding, “I refrained from writing even stronger words.”

Mizrahi also extended the detention of Urich and Feldstein by two more days, ruling against a police request for nine days.

Following the decision, Israeli media identified the previously unnamed journalist and the businessman questioned by police in connection with the case, after the public testimony from Netanyahu on Monday and the arrest of his aides.

The journalist was identified as the editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post, Zvika Klein.

Unlike Netanyahu, Klein was cautioned by the police during his testimony, suggesting that he is considered a criminal suspect. The caution informs the individual that anything they say may be used against them and that they have the right to consult a lawyer.

Klein wrote several articles that were interpreted as taking a positive stance regarding Qatar after being invited for a visit by the emirate's government last year.

Last month, Channel 13 reported that Feldstein, the second suspect in the Qatargate probe, had arranged Klein’s visit. In response, Klein clarified on 𝕏 that he had not known Feldstein beforehand and only contacted him after the visit to coordinate interviews about the trip.

The businessman was identified as Gil Birger, who was also questioned under caution. In audio recordings leaked by the media last month, Birger stated that he facilitated the transfer of funds from Jay Footlik, a U.S.-based lobbyist employed by Qatar, to Eli Feldstein, citing tax-related reasons.

After his Monday testimony, Netanyahu repeated his claim that the case was a ploy to prevent him from dismissing Shin Bet Director Ronen Bar and ridiculed the police for not having any evidence.

“They are making [Urich and Feldstein’s] lives miserable for nothing at all. This is a political hunt. It is intended for only one purpose, to prevent the dismissal of the head of the Shin Bet as if there was some affair here. There is nothing here. And also to bring about the overthrow of a right-wing prime minister. A political investigation, a political hunt, that's what we have here. There is nothing else here,“ Netanyahu said.