The Jerusalem Post's editor-in-chief, Zvika Klein, gave his first interview, aired on Saturday, since being questioned by the police regarding the 'Qatargate' affair earlier this week, which alleges connections between Qatar and the Prime Minister’s Office.
"It all started with a phone call from [Yonatan] Urich during the 2022 World Cup," Klein explained.
After publishing an article in the Post criticizing the ban on bringing kosher meat into Qatar, Urich, who then served as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s spokesperson in the opposition, called him. "Urich told me, 'Listen, I have a friend who works with them, and this bothers him,'" Klein recalled.
Later, Urich introduced Klein to Srulik Einhorn. "Einhorn is a very talented guy," Klein said. "When someone arranges for you to meet the former Chancellor of Austria and other prime ministers for interviews, you say, he’s legit," Klein explained. He stressed that for a year and a half, he initiated the connections, stating his interest in it.
Fifty days after the October 7 massacre and the start of the Israel-Hamas War, Klein reached out to Einhorn again.
“He tells me: It’s not me, I’m not involved with them anymore. I have a friend in England—his name’s Ryan… He says: we’ll bring the Qatari ambassador to your Jerusalem Post conference in Germany.”
The ambassador did attend the conference: “The fact that we brought him—that’s already a statement. A Zionist Israeli newspaper, that’s a big deal.”
Klein noted that one of his conditions for the ambassador's attendance at the event was that the latter commit on stage to facilitating the return of the hostages.
"As far as I’m concerned, I did what we call a 'Kiddush Hashem' (sanctification of God's name), Klein said. "I don’t like them [the Qataris], but I elevated them [for the cause of returning the hostages]."
Klein recalled that, in early 2024, Einhorn contacted him again, suggesting he visit Qatar.
"They want you to come," Einhorn said. Klein was then referred to Jay Footlik, a lobbyist for Qatar.
Klein met Footlik at the Norman Hotel in Tel Aviv before traveling to Qatar for a three-day visit.
Following his visit to Qatar in April 2024, Einhorn asked why Klein had not been interviewed about the trip. Klein replied that he was busy with the war and his family.
"Listen, we have a guy, his name is Eli Feldstein [...] he’ll help you," Einhorn told him. When Klein asked who would pay Feldstein, Einhorn responded, "Tell him someone from the US will call him and take care of it."
Einhorn also told Klein, "don't tell him who sent you."
'I want the truth to come to light'
"I did not receive any benefits. By the way, no one offered me benefits. They paid for the flight to Qatar [...] But I made it clear in my articles, I was invited by the Qatari government," he noted.
"I want the truth to come to light," Klein said. When asked to assess whether Prime Minister Netanyahu was aware of what was going on at the Prime Minister's Office, Klein responded, "I do not have enough information, I do not think so."