Diaspora Minister breaks ranks, calls for full Qatargate probe
Amichai Chikli is the first government minister to demand an inquiry into the Qatar-linked scandal
In a notable development in the ongoing Qatargate political scandal, Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs Amichai Chikli publicly called on Wednesday for a full investigation into the affair, becoming the first serving government minister to do so.
Speaking in a radio interview on Kan Reshet Bet, Chikli described the revelations at the heart of the scandal as “shocking” and said they require comprehensive scrutiny. “There is no way to defend this thing,” he said. “It is shocking. The things must be investigated to the fullest.”
The Qatargate affair centers on allegations that senior advisers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and associates were involved in advancing Qatari interests, including media influence operations, during a period when Israel was engaged in critical diplomatic and security matters.
Recent reporting, including correspondence published in Israeli media including i24NEWS, has shown exchanges involving figures close to the Prime Minister’s Office and a Qatari lobbyist, prompting political and public scrutiny. These developments have intensified debate over transparency and influence.
Chikli used strong language in characterizing Qatar. “From my perspective, this is a hostile, diseased state,” he said, in apparent reference to the nature of the relationship alleged in the scandal. “I have no way to defend this—it is shocking, no less.”
He also suggested that some of the media conduits involved may have benefited materially, saying, “I assume Einhorn certainly [received money]; I don’t know about Feldstein—but it looks very bad.”
Chikli’s comments are notable because they represent a break with previous government positioning, which has largely dismissed the scandal’s implications or denied wrongdoing. Opposition figures and former leaders have increasingly called for independent inquiries, and Chikli’s statement could add pressure on authorities to pursue broader investigations.
Read more here:
• Senior Israeli figures allegedly pushed pro-Qatari narrative in media, i24NEWS investigation finds
• Bennett calls on Netanyahu to resign over alleged Qatar ties of senior advisors
• Messages reveal Netanyahu aide’s awareness of contacts with Qatari lobbyist