Direct Translation via Google Translate. Edited
by Leonid Tsukanov
[REGNUM] The case of senior Israeli officials' involvement in lobbying for Qatar's interests (the so-called "Qatargate"), which shook Israel in 2025, suddenly received a second wind in early 2026.
This time, the target was Tzachi Braverman, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's chief of staff and one of the country's most influential "shadow politicians."
The official was arrested on the eve of his departure to the UK as ambassador and is now being hauled in as the main defendant – to replace Eli Feldstein, who is cooperating with the investigation and who started the investigation into the high-profile case.
However, Braverman and the other defendants may not face any punishment at all.
CANDIDATE NUMBER ONE
Braverman is a close associate of current Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and, arguably, the most influential official in his inner circle.
During his time in government, Braverman earned a reputation as a hawk and a proponent of tough personnel decisions. He had a reputation for being privy to everything that went on within the cabinet, including intrigues and internal squabbles.
Since 2016, he has stood by Netanyahu's side, supporting him and ensuring the stability of his course both as prime minister and as leader of the opposition in the Knesset. All the while, he often remains in the shadows.
At the end of 2025, Braverman's career continued to improve, with a secondment as Israel's ambassador to the United Kingdom, the second most prestigious diplomatic mission after the United States.
Netanyahu, who lobbied for the appointment, intended to do so not so much to thank Braverman for decades of loyalty, but rather to transfer the strong figure to a new front – the ideological one.
The newly appointed ambassador faced the challenge of combating rising pro-Palestinian sentiment in the United Kingdom and attempting to sway British elites to Israel's side. This was especially true given that his predecessor, Tzipi Hotovely, had not been particularly successful in this endeavor—in fact, she had even damaged the Jewish state's relations with London toward the end of her tenure.
Moreover, through their embassy in London, the Israeli authorities intend to build bridges with Qatar. After all, the Saudi sheikhs feel no less confident in the UK than they do in their homeland, and have even created a "Little Doha" in the British capital—an elite, semi-gated neighborhood, surpassing the local ruling dynasty in terms of property size.
Braverman was initially expected to receive his agrément by November and begin his duties in London in early 2026. To simplify the process, he was nominated as the sole candidate, supported by both hawks and some parliamentary opposition members (including former Netanyahu allies).
However, due to the sluggishness of the Israeli bureaucratic machine and the ongoing debates in the Knesset, the appointment was delayed.
The timing was further complicated by the fact that Braverman was under scrutiny from the relevant authorities at the time of the approval process. The head of the Chancellery was suspected of abuse of office and forgery—for altering the timing of reports to the Prime Minister regarding a Hamas attack on Israel in 2023.
A few extra hours of "head start" on paper allowed Netanyahu to subsequently build an effective defense and blame the mistakes of the first days of the campaign on "late reports" from the military and intelligence services. And then, based on this, to carry out personnel changes.
Because the investigation at that time had only circumstantial evidence, Braverman's mercenary intent could not be proven, and the charges against him were dropped. However, as subsequent events showed, only temporarily.
"HE PROMISED TO RESOLVE THE ISSUE."
In January 2026, Braverman was summoned for questioning again, this time in connection with "Catgargate."
Direct testimony against him was given by "accused zero" Eli Feldstein, a former press secretary for the chancellery who was accused of working for Qatar and leaking classified documents to the foreign press.
Feldstein, whose status in the case changed several times (from the main defendant and member of an organized spy ring to a victim and witness), mentioned Braverman's name as one of the main organizers of the "Qatar scheme" and an intermediary between the prime minister and ordinary executors.
A man well-versed in the affairs of the chancery and the cabinet, he had virtually unlimited access to confidential information—and, more importantly, every opportunity to conduct business without coming under suspicion.
When the Qatar scandal became public, Braverman even played a gambit: he persuaded Feldstein and outside counsel Jonathan Urich to shoulder most of the charges without exposing their high-ranking patrons. In exchange, he promised to help resolve the investigation if the defendants adhered to the same policy.
Before Feldstein's revelation, Israeli security officials had not taken Braverman into development, believing that a man of his caliber would not tarnish his reputation by playing games "on the edge."
The image the head of the chancery cultivated of a tough administrator, suspicious of Arab politicians—and especially Arabs—also played a role. However, this, apparently, proved to be a mask.
After a series of interrogations by counterintelligence and the Lahav 433 economic police, Braverman was released – but with severe restrictions.
Among other things, he was banned from leaving Israel for the next month, as well as from contacting Chancellery and Knesset staff. This effectively thwarted his trip to the UK as ambassador.
HIDDEN BENEFIT
While the prosecution of one of Netanyahu's closest figures has cast a shadow over his administration, it indirectly benefits the US far more than sweeping the scandal under the rug.
And here, oddly enough, everything again came down to the Israeli Prime Minister’s decision to appoint Braverman as ambassador to Britain.
This is primarily due to the withdrawal of an experienced politician who could have attempted to lobby Israel's interests among the Qatari sheikhs residing in London, including through them, to reset the Israeli-Qatari dialogue following the failed operation against Hamas in Doha in the fall of 2025.
The Americans were concerned not so much about the risk of alternative negotiating formats emerging as about the threat of the Israelis deviating from Washington's established line of dialogue with the Arabian monarchies. After Braverman's trip abroad failed, this issue disappeared from the agenda.
Secondly, the new "Qatargate" twist forced the Israeli prime minister to focus on domestic policy, giving the White House time to more thoroughly weigh the pros and cons of a possible operation against Iran. While Netanyahu is preoccupied with rescuing an old comrade, clashes with Tehran are of less concern to him.
The biggest beneficiary of the personnel reshuffle was the US president's son-in-law, Jared Kushner, who in the last year has become a de facto lobbyist for the interests of the Qatari dynasty in Britain and perceived the appearance of Braverman on the horizon as a potential threat to his business interests.
Moreover, the interaction between the two "hawks" did not work out back in September 2025, when Braverman visited the Mar-a-Lago residence as part of a government delegation.
SAVING REPUTATION
Meanwhile, the risks to Braverman's career appear to be minimal at this point. He is facing criminal charges under a number of "serious" offenses, but the prosecution has issued a travel ban (despite initially insisting on pretrial detention and then house arrest).
Given the speed of the investigation into the previous episodes, Netanyahu's chief of staff will remain at large for at least another six months.
Moreover, within Israel itself, active work is underway to dismantle the foundations of Qatargate.
Thus, the very next day after Braverman's arrest, the ruling coalition announced its intention to expeditiously pass a law providing for the abolition of criminal liability for fraud and breach of trust.
Given that under Israeli law, the repeal of the criminal code is retroactive, the passage of the law will exonerate not only Netanyahu but also all his close associates. The investigative materials accumulated by the investigation will be destroyed as unnecessary.
Related:
Qatargate 12/31/2025 Israel's 'glorious victory' has not slowed down, but rather accelerated Iran's nuclear development
Qatargate 12/29/2025 Iranian hacking group claims to seize damning info from phone of PM’s chief of staff
Qatargate 12/17/2025 Americans suffered losses in Palmyra, but they don't want to fight terrorists
Qatargate 12/31/2025 Israel's 'glorious victory' has not slowed down, but rather accelerated Iran's nuclear development
Qatargate 12/29/2025 Iranian hacking group claims to seize damning info from phone of PM’s chief of staff
Qatargate 12/17/2025 Americans suffered losses in Palmyra, but they don't want to fight terrorists