In ‘Qatargate’ twist, court orders police to hand back Netanyahu aide’s phones

Judge Menachem Mizrahi ruled that police must return phones seized from Netanyahu aide Yonatan Urich as part of the ongoing “Qatargate” investigation.

Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court Judge Menahem Mizrahi ordered Israeli police to return to “Qatargate” suspect Yonatan Urich cellphones belonging to him that authorities are holding as part of the investigation into Qatari influence on figures close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Police were expected to appeal the decision to the Lod District Court.

During a hearing on the case on Sunday, investigators informed the court that “mining and hacking failed for two, while the model for the third is impenetrable.” Police had requested a 180-day extension for the seizure of the devices.

Asked by Mizrahi why the police still require possession of the phones if they are not penetrable, police officials responded that its hacking software is being updated and that other impenetrable devices have been opened in the past once the software has been updated.

Mizrahi denied the police request to preserve the phones, calling the decision “the simplest decision I’ve ever made” and added, scathingly, that he had informed state officials that he would not consider a request without confidential evidence, which was the format of Sunday’s request.

Sunday’s hearing followed a request last month by Israeli police to extend the seizure of the devices.

The “Qatargate” affair focuses on claims that Urich, a Netanyahu aide, and El Feldstein, the former military spokesperson in the Prime Minister’s Office, defended Qatar’s interests during their tenure in the Prime Minister’s Office. According to reports, Feldstein received payments from an Israeli businessman who served as an intermediary between Qatar and Israel. Feldstein’s lawyers said the funds were for strategic and communications services provided to Netanyahu’s office, and that Feldstein was not aware of any direct ties to Qatar.

Conflict of interest concerns

Feldstein and Urich were arrested and questioned by authorities in March. The investigation revealed that a company working on behalf of Qatar contacted Urich to improve Qatar’s image, particularly in the context of hostage negotiations – Qatar being a mediator between Israel and Hamas – and then made payments to Feldstein. The suspects face charges related to contact with a foreign agent, money laundering and breach of trust.

The investigation raised significant concerns about conflicts of interest and public service integrity, particularly regarding the transparency of financial transactions and the influence of foreign entities on Israeli internal affairs.

Feldstein and Urich were arrested and then placed under restrictive house arrest. Recently, the Lod District Court overturned the lower court’s decision, finding that Urich should remain prohibited from working with Netanyahu due to the restrictive conditions imposed on him. Another suspect is former Netanyahu adviser Israel Einhorn.