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An Israeli businessman has admitted to transferring money from a lobbyist for the Qatari government to a spokesperson in the Prime Minister’s Office, raising new questions about foreign influence and financial dealings within the Israeli government.
Gil Birger, an Israeli businessman operating in the Gulf, said in a recording aired Wednesday on public broadcaster Kan radio that he transferred the funds at the request of the lobbyist, citing tax considerations. “He asked for my help due to VAT matters. I’ve known him for 25 years,” Birger said.
2אלי פלדשטיין בדיון חוזר בפרשת הדלפת המסכים בבית המשפט המחוזי בתל אביבאלי פלדשטיין בדיון חוזר בפרשת הדלפת המסכים בבית המשפט המחוזי בתל אביב
Eli Feldstein (Photo: Moti Kimchi)
The lobbyist, identified as Jay Footlik, who is registered in the U.S. as an agent of Qatar, reportedly transferred the money to Birger, who then paid Eli Feldstein, a spokesperson in the Prime Minister’s Office, while Feldstein was still in the role. According to a report on Israel’s Channel 13, the government stopped paying Feldstein’s salary in April after he was denied security clearance by the Shin Bet security agency. Despite this, he continued working in the office as the spokesperson for military affairs.
Birger insisted that Footlik—not he—had employed Feldstein. “He worked with him for a few months. He hired him, not me,” Birger said. He also noted that he has a longstanding business agreement with Footlik on multiple matters.
According to Kan, Birger claimed the work Footlik performed was related to “the hostages.” Throughout the affair, Feldstein has denied working for the Qatari government, maintaining that his sole employer was the Prime Minister’s Office and that his superiors were the office’s official spokespersons.
The ‘Qatar-Gate’ affair
The case involves three communications officials linked to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu: Feldstein, who has already been investigated and charged in a separate classified document leak case; Jonathan Urich, Netanyahu's close adviser and spokesperson also implicated in that leak investigation; and Israel Einhorn, a consultant who worked on Likud’s election campaigns.
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Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara has authorized the Israel Police and the Shin Bet to investigate the case. Last week, a sweeping gag order was issued, barring publication of any details related to the investigation, including information on suspects, findings, or investigative actions. The case was being handled by the police’s National Fraud Investigation Unit under Lahav 433, Israel’s equivalent of the FBI.
2גלי בהרב-מיארהגלי בהרב-מיארה
Attorney General Gali Baharv-Meira(Photo: Yoav Dudkevitch)
Before the attorney general’s decision to escalate the probe, authorities had been examining security breaches and counterintelligence concerns. However, the investigation reportedly uncovered potential criminal elements, leading to the Shin Bet’s involvement in questioning suspects under caution.
According to reports, Feldstein was paid by a company to manage extensive public relations efforts aimed at improving Qatar’s image in Israel. His activities allegedly included coordinating interviews between Israeli journalists and senior Qatari officials, distributing official statements on Qatar’s behalf, and promoting narratives about its role in regional diplomacy—all while serving in the Prime Minister’s Office.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu has openly criticized Qatar, accusing it of “serving Hamas” even as it mediated negotiations over Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
Urich and Einhorn have also been linked to Qatari public relations efforts. In 2022, the two reportedly ran an Israeli media campaign for Qatar ahead of the FIFA World Cup, aiming to present the Gulf nation—which has long been accused of financing terror groups—as a legitimate and stabilizing force in the region.