Bennett: "Qatar has sent metastases into the Israeli establishment - we will declare it an enemy state"
A political storm follows a "Hayom" exposé regarding the alleged transfer of classified information from the Prime Minister's office to Qatar. Yair Golan called it "treason against the State of Israel," while Gadi Eisenkot demanded a state commission of inquiry.
The political system is in an uproar following an exposé in "Hayom", in which a security source claims that Prime Minister's advisors Yonatan Urich, Srulik Einhorn, and Eli Feldstein allegedly transferred classified information from security discussions concerning Egypt to Qatar. According to the source, the information was used by the Qataris to promote anti-Egyptian messages in the Israeli media, aiming to strengthen Doha's position in hostage deal negotiations.
Former Chief of Staff and chairman of The Democrats, Gadi Eisenkot, attacked the situation:
"In the holy of holies of Israel, Qatari agents operated to transfer intelligence information, to the point of endangering Israel's security goals and its relations with its neighbors. This must shake the foundations."
Eisenkot criticized the Prime Minister and called for a state commission of inquiry: "Any reasonable prime minister would have ordered an investigation to clear the air and ensure that his people are working for the interests of the State of Israel, and not for another country." He emphasized that only an independent and incisive state commission will prevent the next disaster.
Former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett wrote:
"Qatar is a poisonous enemy. It financed the October 7 massacre and has sent metastases deep into the Israeli establishment, even at this moment. Qatari agents acted to undermine peace with Egypt and harm Israel's national security. In the next government, we will fix this, declare Qatar an enemy, expel them from Gaza, and root out this cancer from within us."
Chairman of The Democrats Yair Golan attacked sharply: "This is what treason against the State of Israel looks like. Netanyahu's advisors who received money from Qatar endangered our strategic relations with Egypt to serve a Qatari interest. Their bank account managed Israel's foreign and security policy while the best of our sons were dying at the front." Golan added that the Prime Minister must also be investigated regarding his knowledge of the affair.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid recalled a previously submitted bill: "Reminder: Last February, I placed a bill on the Knesset table defining Qatar as an enemy state. The Likud shot it down under the instruction of the Prime Minister's office."
MK Naama Lazimi responded with a sharp sentence: "Let every Hebrew mother know that she entrusted the fate of her sons to Qatari agents who handed over information to the enemy during wartime."
MK Vladimir Beliak claimed: "Qatar is an enemy state that financed the October 7 massacre. It is clear that Netanyahu's advisors acted under Netanyahu's instruction. This is what treason against Israel's security looks like."
Eyal Eshel, father of observer Roni Eshel who was murdered on October 7, published a painful response: "Ronki, you won't believe it! For 3 years I have refused to use this harsh word, and today it turned out that there was treason. From within the holy of holies of the State of Israel, there were those who cooperated with those on whose hands your blood is. My heart cannot take this."
