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by Emmitt Barry, Worthy News Washington D.C. Bureau Chief

(Worthy News) – Israel’s political crisis deepened this week as former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett renewed demands for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to resign over what critics have dubbed the “Qatargate” affair—claims that Netanyahu’s office and allies firmly reject as a manufactured scandal already dismissed by the courts.

Bennett issued a series of sharply worded statements following reports by i24NEWS alleging that individuals connected to Netanyahu promoted favorable Qatari messaging in Israeli media during the Gaza war. Bennett accused Netanyahu’s inner circle of acting on behalf of Qatar and described the affair as “the most serious act of treason in Israel’s history.”

However, the Prime Minister’s Office pushed back forcefully, branding the allegations “Qatar-fake” and accusing Bennett of spreading falsehoods for political gain. In an official response, the PMO stated that the claims were “invented blood libels,” stressing that courts have already ruled no criminal offense was committed and that the central accusations lack factual foundation.

The PMO further denied that key figures named by Bennett—Shrulik Einhorn and Eli Feldstein—were ever members of the Prime Minister’s Office, calling the narrative a deliberate distortion designed to mislead the public and inflame tensions during wartime. Netanyahu’s office argued that the controversy is being recycled to divert attention from unrelated legal and political issues involving Bennett himself.

Despite those denials, Bennett doubled down, alleging that advisers close to Netanyahu received funds linked to Qatar while holding sensitive access. He claimed such actions—if true—would represent a moral failure during a time when Israeli soldiers were fighting Hamas, which Qatar has historically hosted and supported diplomatically. Bennett insisted that whether Netanyahu knew of the alleged activity or failed to act upon learning of it, both scenarios warranted resignation.

Netanyahu has countered that Qatar is “not an enemy state” of Israel and emphasized its role as a mediator in hostage negotiations and regional diplomacy, arguing that political rivals are exploiting wartime complexities to score points ahead of future elections.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid echoed Bennett’s rhetoric, labeling the affair unprecedented. Still, government officials note that repeated references to “treason” stand in stark contrast to the PMO’s insistence—and court rulings—that the case amounts to political theater rather than proven wrongdoing.

Two aides connected to Netanyahu were briefly taken into custody in late March 2025 as part of a broader inquiry, but no indictments have been filed. The Prime Minister’s Office maintains that the investigation itself has not substantiated claims of espionage, treason, or illegal coordination with Qatar.

As Israel moves toward elections expected in October 2026, analysts say the dispute reflects a widening divide between rival political camps rather than a settled legal scandal. While Bennett portrays the affair as an existential moral crisis, Netanyahu’s allies argue the “Qatar-fake” narrative is a calculated attempt to undermine an elected government during wartime.

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