Court extends house arrest of Qatargate suspects Urich, Feldstein by two weeks after examining new evidence

24 April 2025, 8:24 pm

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Eli Feldstein (left,) a former spokesman in the office of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu (Kan screenshot, used in accordance with clause 27a of the copyright law); Likud spokesman Jonatan Urich speaks at a Central Elections Committee meeting at the Knesset in Jerusalem, April 3, 2019. (Yonatan Sindel/Flash90)

The Tel Aviv District Court has overturned a decision to release Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s close aide Jonatan Urich and former spokesman Eli Feldstein from house arrest.

The Rishon LeZion Magistrate’s Court had ordered their release on Tuesday, despite the state’s request to extend their house arrest by 21 days. The decision was then suspended for 48 hours to allow police the opportunity to appeal the decision.

In appealing the decision, police presented the court with new evidence against the pair, who are key suspects in the so-called Qatargate scandal involving ties between them and Qatar.

According to Channel 12, the evidence dealt with the means by which money was allegedly transferred to the suspects by Qatari elements.

The court, upon receiving the evidence, agreed to extend Urich and Feldstein’s remand by two weeks.

The report adds that police investigators are expected to travel to the US in the coming days to question Jay Footlik, an American pro-Qatar lobbyist suspected of having assisted with the money transfers.