The ISA has reported that a preliminary review is underway regarding possible ties between Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office and Qatar.
The ISA's response follows inquiries from Democrats MKs Gilad Kariv and Naama Lazimi about the connection between Netanyahu’s former military spokesperson Eli Feldstein and Qatar.
The full ISA statement reads, "According to law, the ISA is responsible for countering espionage threats and protecting state secrets, as well as securing individuals. Accordingly, there is an ongoing review concerning the protection of secrets within the Prime Minister's Office and other government offices, as well as the immediate environment of secured individuals. Following received inquiries, and based on a preliminary review, these claims are also being examined by the ISA."
The announcement came after Gilad Kariv approached Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara and ISA head Ronen Bar, demanding a comprehensive investigation into connections between the Prime Minister’s Office and Qatar.
According to MK Kariv, "I welcome the ISA's announcement, which shows that the service is taking seriously the suspicions of cooperation between the Prime Minister’s environment and foreign governments that could endanger Israel's national security. I reiterate the call for the Attorney General to announce that in light of the ISA's review, the Prime Minister is prohibited from taking any action concerning the termination of the head of ISA's tenure or undermining the ISA's authorities."