Israeli police on Monday arrested two of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s senior aides as part of the widening "Qatargate" scandal, just hours before Netanyahu was questioned by investigators over the matter.

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Jonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein were detained as suspects in the case, which centres on alleged financial ties between Qatar and Netanyahu’s inner circle. The arrests came shortly after Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara instructed police to summon the prime minister for testimony.

Netanyahu, who had been attending a court hearing for his ongoing corruption trial in Tel Aviv, abruptly left the courtroom and headed to his office, where he was questioned by the Lahav 433 major crimes unit.

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According to Israeli media, the prime minister was questioned as someone with knowledge of the affair, not as a suspect. However, investigators may decide to summon him again under caution, depending on the outcome of his initial testimony.

A police source told the Kan public broadcaster that Netanyahu was offered a choice of dates but opted to appear the same day, even if it meant interrupting his own trial. “He chose to come today and stop the hearing of his case in court,” the source said.

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What is Qatargate?

The Qatargate investigation revolves around allegations that Netanyahu’s former spokesman, Eli Feldstein, worked for Qatar while serving in the Prime Minister’s Office.

Feldstein is accused of harming national security by leaking classified IDF documents and allegedly feeding pro-Qatar stories to Israeli journalists via an international PR firm contracted by Doha.

The probe, launched in February, is being led by Israel’s Lahav 433 crime unit and the Shin Bet internal security agency. It focuses on suspected Qatari payments made to individuals in Netanyahu’s close circle between May 2022 and October 2024.

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Feldstein and Urich were questioned earlier this month on suspicion of fraud, bribery, money laundering, and contact with a foreign agent. A gag order prevents the release of further details.

On Monday, police also summoned a journalist for testimony, which reportedly turned into questioning under caution. Hebrew media said the reporter is suspected of contact with a foreign agent, although law enforcement has not confirmed this publicly.

Feldstein and Urich’s lawyer, Amit Hadad, who also represents Netanyahu, left the courtroom during the prime minister’s trial to assist the arrested aides.

Critics of the government claim Netanyahu is trying to block the investigation, especially after it emerged that Shin Bet chief Ronen Bar, who is leading the inquiry, is being dismissed by Netanyahu’s government. Bar has alleged his removal is politically motivated.

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Netanyahu, for his part, has condemned the case as a “witch hunt,” and the accused aides have denied all wrongdoing.

The scandal dates back to November last year, when reports surfaced that Urich and another top aide, Yisrael Einhorn, had done PR work for Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup through Einhorn’s firm, Perception. Einhorn, now based in Serbia as an adviser to President Aleksandar Vučić, has yet to be questioned by Israeli authorities due to difficulties in reaching him abroad.

(With inputs from agencies)