Jeremy Sharon and TOI staff
Times of Israel, Apr. 3, 2025
“Unfortunately, the issue of leaks from the investigation is very damaging, and complicates it, and nothing has been done about this matter.”
The Rishon Lezion Magistrates Court on Thursday extended the detention of the two key suspects in the Qatargate affair for another day to enable investigators to continue their probes.
Police agreed to the short extension after Judge Menachem Mizrahi expressed skepticism regarding the necessity of holding the two for a further seven days, and criticized leaks of investigation details to the media.
The two chief suspects, Jonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, have worked as media advisers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and are suspected of multiple offenses tied to their alleged work for a pro-Qatar lobbying firm, including contact with a foreign agent and a series of corruption charges involving lobbyists and businessmen.
They are accused of taking money to spread pro-Qatari messaging to reporters while in the prime minister’s employ.
In further developments, three Israeli journalists on Thursday gave open testimony to the police as persons with knowledge of the affair, after being summoned by investigators. …SOURCE