Israeli businessman says he transferred cash from Qatari lobbyist to ex-PM aide Feldstein

An Israeli businessman based in the Gulf says that he transferred money from a Qatar-employed US lobbyist to a top aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, according to recordings aired by the Kan public broadcaster.

In the recording, businessman Gil Birger says he was approached by lobbyist Jay Footlik to give the money to Eli Feldstein, saying that he was asked to make the payment for tax reasons.

“He asked me to help due to VAT issues,” Birger is heard saying. “I have known him [Footlik] for 25 years. I don’t work with this, and I don’t work in Israel. He worked with him for a few months, he employed him, not me”

“I have agreements with Jay on a lot of issues,” he says.”

Birger says the work was related to the hostages. Qatar has been a key mediator between Israel and Hamas in efforts to end the Gaza war and free the hostages held by the terror group.

The recordings come despite a sweeping court issued gag order into the case.

The investigation was launched following revelations that Netanyahu’s former spokesman  Feldstein — who has been charged with harming national security in a case involving the theft and leaking of classified IDF documents — worked for Qatar via an international firm contracted by Doha to feed Israeli journalists pro-Qatar stories, while he was employed in the PMO.

Lawyers for Feldestein tell Kan that the publication of the recordings proves that Feldstein is innocent.

“Since a blanket gag was issued on all details of the investigation that was dubbed Qatargate – and Kan would not have violated the order, it is clear that Feldstein is not a suspect in the affair, and for good reason,” the lawyers say in a statement.

“As they have claimed from the moment the allegations were first raised, Feldstein never worked for Qatar, never passed information to Qatar, and never received money from Qatar. Feldstein worked for the Prime Minister’s Office and all of his activity on political and security issues was done solely in the name of, and for the Prime Minister.”

Last November, it was also reported that top Netanyahu aides Jonatan Urich and Yisrael Einhorn did public relations work for Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup there.