Netanyahu sues ex-defense minister Ya’alon over Qatar claims as gag order tightens probe

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced Tuesday that he is suing his former defense minister, Moshe “Bogie” Ya’alon, over allegations that he received millions from Qatar—an explosive claim surfacing amid a sensitive investigation into ties between Netanyahu’s inner circle and the Gulf state. Netanyahu branded Ya’alon’s assertions “a despicable lie,” vowing legal action and signaling a sharp escalation in their long-simmering feud.

Ya’alon, a former IDF chief of staff and Likud member who served under Netanyahu from 2013 to 2016, made the remarks in a Kan radio interview. Citing “unproven intelligence information” from Emirati documents, he suggested Netanyahu received $15 million in 2012 and $50 million in 2018 from Qatar. Netanyahu fired back, insisting, “I didn’t receive anything from Qatar, but I will receive from Bogie,” using Ya’alon’s nickname. He framed the accusation as part of a broader “campaign of threats and extortion” against him and his family, pledging it won’t deter him from “making the right decisions for our country’s security.”

The lawsuit lands hours after the Rishon Lezion Magistrate’s Court imposed a sweeping 30-day gag order on a high-profile police and Shin Bet probe into alleged Qatar connections within the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO). The order bars reporters from publishing details—including suspect interrogations and findings—and extends to social media, prohibiting even references to foreign media reports. The move, routine in sensitive cases but selectively enforced, may limit scrutiny of an affair already stirring public unrest.

The investigation, ordered last month by Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, targets “the connection between officials working in the Prime Minister’s Office and officials connected to the state of Qatar.” Conducted by the Lahav 433 major crimes unit and Shin Bet, it gained traction after revelations that Netanyahu’s former spokesman, Eli Feldstein—already charged with compromising national security over leaked IDF documents—worked for Qatar via a firm tasked with planting pro-Doha stories in Israeli media. Reports from November also tied aides Jonatan Urich and Yisrael Einhorn to PR efforts for Qatar ahead of the 2022 World Cup.

Qatar’s role looms large. With no formal diplomatic ties to Israel, it has hosted Hamas’s leadership and, with Netanyahu’s approval, funneled hundreds of millions to Gaza over the years. It now mediates ceasefire and hostage talks between Israel and Hamas in Doha, building on its role in the November 2023 truce that freed over 100 captives. The current deal follows 16 months of war sparked by Hamas’s October 7, 2023, assault, which killed 1,200 and saw 251 taken hostage.

Ya’alon’s claims and the PMO probe collide with Netanyahu’s ongoing corruption trial, where he testified Monday in Tel Aviv. Outside the court, protesters wielded suitcases of fake cash and “Qatargate” banners, linking Qatar’s Gaza funding to broader allegations of influence. Saturday’s rallies for a hostage deal also spotlighted reports of six-figure sums allegedly flowing from Qatar to Netanyahu aides—claims the gag order now cloaks.

Netanyahu’s legal salvo against Ya’alon, a once-trusted ally turned vocal critic, underscores a personal and political rift. Ya’alon, who quit in 2016 citing “moral and professional” clashes, has since accused Netanyahu of undermining democracy. The premier, in turn, casts himself as a steadfast leader undeterred by detractors. “This is just the beginning,” he warned, hinting at a wider counteroffensive.

For now, the gag order muffles a saga intertwining national security, diplomacy, and domestic strife.

Times of Israel contributed to this article.