Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett issued a sharp response today (Monday) following an investigative report broadcast last night on i24NEWS, which alleged that advisers in the Prime Minister’s Office worked to promote a positive image of Qatar in Israel during the fighting against Hamas.
The investigation exposed a coordinated mechanism for disseminating messages to Israeli journalists-some attributed to security and American sources-that were in fact crafted and delivered by communications advisers close to Netanyahu’s office. Among the names highlighted in the report were Eli Feldstein, Shrolik Einhorn, and Yonatan Urich.
At the outset of his statement, Bennett wrote: “Netanyahu’s office betrayed the State of Israel and IDF soldiers during wartime and acted on behalf of Qatar for financial gain-and Netanyahu himself is covering it up.”
Bennett went on to claim that this was an unprecedented act of betrayal: “This is the most serious act of treason in Israel’s history, because unlike traitors Mordechai Vanunu and Udi Adiv, here they are operating from the very sanctum of Israel’s security-the Prime Minister’s Office. Whether Netanyahu knew or did not know that his office was working for pay on behalf of an enemy during wartime, both possibilities require his immediate resignation. The State of Israel must fully hold to account those who betrayed us. These are harsh words, and I stand behind them completely.”
“Three of Netanyahu’s closest advisers effectively served as paid, activated agents of Qatar and Hamas at the height of the war, while our soldiers were fighting and being killed by Hamas bullets purchased with Qatari money,” Bennett continued. “This can indeed explain why the Israeli government failed to achieve the supreme objective it set for itself in the war: the destruction of Hamas. After two years of a terrible war, with a heavy blood price paid by our heroic fighters, Hamas is still standing and rebuilding its strength.”
Bennett then outlined four central points that, in his view, form the basis of the severe criticism:
“1. The three people closest to Netanyahu received salaries from Qatar during our war against Hamas-Qatar. There is no longer any dispute about this fact. All three have already admitted it openly. They entered with him into the innermost sanctums at the Kirya, the Air Force command bunker, and the most classified locations.”
“2. Qatar equals Hamas. Qatar’s hands are stained with the blood of our sons and daughters who were murdered, raped, burned, and abducted on October 7. Qatar is Hamas’s main sponsor; it financed the terror monster in Gaza, operates the antisemitic Al Jazeera network, and hosts Hamas leaders on its soil. There is no dispute about this either.”
“3. These three advisers exploited their positions in Israel’s innermost sanctum to strengthen the State of Qatar during the war(!). The materials clearly show how they worked day and night to bolster pro-Hamas Qatar while our soldiers were fighting and dying in Gaza.
4. Qatar’s declared goal is Hamas’s survival. Israel’s declared goal in the war is Hamas’s destruction. They chose a side. Instead of acting for Israel, they acted for Israel’s enemies.”
In this context, Bennett stressed: “We know that Egypt despises Hamas and wants it eliminated. Netanyahu’s office worked relentlessly to blacken Egypt-which is anti-Hamas-and to whitewash Qatar, which is pro-Hamas. The exact opposite of our security interest. And this is only the tip of the iceberg illustrating the type of security damage they caused.”
Bennett added that this conduct directly harmed the country’s security and IDF soldiers, and clarified that even if there is no clear criminal liability, on a moral and security level it constitutes treason: “Qatar is a bitter enemy of Israel that seeks the destruction of the Jewish state and has acted and continues to act extensively to achieve this goal. Secretly assisting Qatar is a betrayal of our soldiers.”
Drawing on his experience as a former prime minister, Bennett said: “I was prime minister; I managed the most sensitive and classified meetings. I tell you unequivocally: the inner rooms of the Prime Minister’s Office are the core of Israel’s security, a place treated with reverence. Had I discovered that one of my advisers was receiving a salary from another country-let alone an enemy state(!)-I would have fired him immediately and ordered the head of the Shin Bet to investigate him using every tool.”
Bennett added that, in his view, Netanyahu would have acted differently if the advisers had worked with a political rival such as Benny Gantz: “Imagine for a moment that Netanyahu had discovered that one of his advisers was working for a political rival, say Benny Gantz. He would have fired him instantly. But when the advisers are working for our enemy, he keeps them. What does this teach us? Did he know in real time that his advisers were Qatari agents? Or did he fail to notice? Both possibilities are extremely grave and require his immediate resignation, along with an apology and atonement.”
He concluded: “The people of Israel need absolute trust in their leaders. On the first day of a government under my leadership, we will establish a state commission of inquiry to investigate, among other things, assistance to an enemy state during wartime. Only in this way can we restore the trust of the people of Israel and the security of the state.”