Qatar, Netanyahu deny any wrongdoing in ‘Qatargate’ scandal

Netanyahu announced that he is suing former defense minister and IDF chief of staff Moshe Ya’alon over accusations that the premier accepted money from Qatar.

By Vered Weiss, World Israel News

As Israeli politicians become embroiled in publicizing or refuting the allegations in the “Qatargate” scandal, Qatar issued a statement denying it funded Israeli politicians and effectively pouring cold water on the allegations.

Some within Israel have alleged that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched an anti-Egypt media campaign after receiving funds from Qatar.

According to those who promote the narrative, Qatar’s motive was to boost its image and achieve leverage over its rival Egypt, as both countries assisted in mediation during hostage negotiations.

“The State of Qatar strongly condemns the claims made by certain journalists and media outlets that Qatar has provided financial support to undermine Egypt’s efforts or any of the mediators involved in the ongoing Hamas-Israel negotiations,” the statement said.

“Qatar affirms that these accusations are unfounded and serve only the interests of those looking to sabotage mediation efforts and damage relations between nations. They also represent a new phase in the ongoing misinformation campaign designed to distract from the humanitarian crisis and further politicize the conflict,” it continued.

“Qatar remains steadfast in its humanitarian and diplomatic role as a mediator between the parties involved in ending this devastating war and is working closely with Egypt to achieve a lasting ceasefire and protect civilian lives.”

“Qatar commends Egypt’s essential role in this critical issue, with both sides coordinating daily to ensure the success of joint mediation efforts aimed at regional stability.”

Netanyahu announced that he is suing former defense minister and IDF chief of staff Moshe Ya’alon over accusations that the premier accepted money from Qatar.

In a video, Netanyahu stated, “I will not be deterred from making the right decisions for our nation’s security—not by fake campaigns or fabricated scandals dominating the news.”

He added, “The public is uninterested because they know it’s all false, and the number of cases filed is much lower than the number being opened.”

He continued, “I’ve decided to stop staying silent. Today, I am suing ‘Bogie’ Ya’alon for the vile lie he spread, claiming I received money from Qatar. Let me be clear: I received nothing from Qatar but will be receiving something from Bogie, and this is just the beginning.”

“Nothing will stop me, not even this campaign of extortion and threats against me and my family,” he concluded.

Netanyahu responded to a Kan radio interview in which Ya’alon claimed that “unverified intelligence details” from Emirati intelligence files suggest that the prime minister received $15 million in 2012 and $50 million in 2018 from Qatar.