Qatargate scandal threatens Netanyahu as election looms

Yisrael “Srulik” Einhorn, a former advertising executive who once appeared in a golden-phallus costume, is at the centre of a controversy over alleged Qatari funding of Israeli political operatives. According to investigations, his consultancy Perception received tens of thousands of dollars monthly from Qatar to create fake news sites and social-media accounts that promoted Qatar as a peace broker and downplayed its ties to Hamas.

The money was reportedly shared with Jonatan Urich, Netanyahu’s senior media adviser, and Eli Feldstein, the prime minister’s military spokesman, who have both been arrested on multiple charges. Einhorn allegedly supplied talking points to Feldstein that were aired as statements from senior US officials, influencing coverage of ceasefire negotiations. While the aides deny the accusations and claim the payments related only to the 2022 World Cup, critics, including former prime minister Naftali Bennett, label the affair the gravest act of treason in Israeli history. With Israel’s general election imminent and polls showing a sizable portion of voters view the scandal as treasonous, the case could prove decisive for Netanyahu’s political future.