Police accuse Jonathan Urich, a senior adviser in the Prime Minister’s Office, of promoting Qatari interests against Israel’s security while pocketing payments—sparking a fierce legal battle.
A political storm is intensifying in Israel. On Sunday, police filed an urgent appeal to the Lod District Court after Judge Menachem Mizrahi of the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court lifted nearly all restrictions on Jonathan Urich, Prime Minister Netanyahu’s close adviser.
Police allege that Urich covertly advanced the agenda of Qatar—a nation with controversial ties to Hamas—while serving inside the Prime Minister’s Office. Even more explosive: investigators claim he received payments as a public employee, a move they warn could have directly endangered Israel’s national security.
In their appeal, police declared:
- “The evidence establishes far beyond reasonable suspicion that Urich acted to promote Qatar’s interests against those of Israel.”
- Urich allegedly operated behind the Prime Minister’s back, with Netanyahu himself unaware of “the full scope” of his aide’s activities.
- Investigators hold direct testimony from a central participant linking Urich to the offenses.
Authorities emphasized the danger: allowing Urich to return to his desk in the Prime Minister’s Office would be like “returning a criminal to the scene of the offense.”
The case is further tangled by comparisons to another suspect, Eli Feldstein. Judge Mizrahi had pointed out a “strange disparity” in their release terms. Police, however, insist the two cases are worlds apart: unlike Feldstein, Urich allegedly operated from within the Prime Minister’s inner circle, with direct access to Israel’s most sensitive information and connections.
The state is now pushing to keep Urich under restrictions until the court rules on the appeal, citing the risk of obstruction of justice and further compromise to national security.
If proven, the allegations could represent one of the most damaging breaches of trust ever uncovered inside Israel’s leadership.
