Suspension of official from hostage negotiating team extended for 30 days amid Qatargate probe

Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoav “Poli” Mordechai, previously suspended from the IDF’s hostage negotiation team amid the ongoing “Qatargate” investigation, agrees to a police request to extend the ban and also distance himself from senior officials.

Police questioned Mordechai on August 21, deeming his testimony “problematic,” which led to a 14-day suspension from the sensitive portfolio.

Following the extension, he is now barred from the team for a further 30 days and must avoid contact with Maj. Gen. (res.) Nitzan Alon, who oversees the file, former Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, and the Shin Bet deputy chief.

His agreement prompted the cancellation of a scheduled hearing at the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court, which had been set to issue an official order restricting his contact.

Yesterday, it was reported that Alon was summoned to give testimony regarding the roles of Mordechai and a former senior Mossad official, focusing on their business ties to Qatar.

Mordechai, who previously served as head of the Coordinator of Government Activities in the Territories (COGAT), head of the Civil Administration, and IDF Spokesperson, held a senior role in the hostage negotiation team, serving as Alon’s deputy, and continued in the position even after reports of his Qatar links surfaced.

The IDF has emphasized that Mordechai is fully committed to the hostage negotiation team, does not negotiate directly with intermediaries, and provides a critical contribution to operations.