Midweek: Netanyahu in crisis over Qatari funds, Political turmoil in France, Mirziyoyev’s vision for Afghanistan

The United Arab Emirates has handed down death sentences to three Uzbek nationals for the murder of a Jewish rabbi.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a political crisis. His closest advisers have been arrested on charges of collusion with Qatar, raising concerns about his potential legal troubles. The man often referred to as the “Butcher of Gaza” may soon find himself entangled in the same scandal.

A political storm is brewing in France as well. A Paris court has sentenced one of the leading presidential candidates to prison—a ruling reminiscent of political crackdowns in Turkey.

Against the backdrop of a historic agreement in Tajikistan and a major international summit in Samarkand, Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev has given an exclusive interview to Euronews, discussing key developments in the region.

Qatari Money “Burning” Netanyahu

The political climate in Israel has become even more volatile. Netanyahu, who has ruled the country for years with an iron grip, is now facing his most serious scandal yet. The case, already being referred to as “Qatargate 2,” has rocked the Israeli government. Allegations suggest that Netanyahu’s closest associates accepted Qatari money in exchange for political influence.

According to the BBC, tensions escalated dramatically on March 31, when Netanyahu himself was questioned as a witness in the case. Israeli police arrested two of his top aides, Jonathan Urich and Eli Feldstein, who are now the main suspects. While Netanyahu has not yet been officially accused of any wrongdoing, Israeli authorities are meticulously analyzing his testimony. The Attorney General’s Office will determine whether further action should be taken against the Prime Minister.

The scandal has been dubbed “Qatargate 2” because of similarities to a corruption scandal in the European Parliament in 2022, when MEPs, lobbyists, and officials were accused of accepting bribes from Qatar, Morocco, and Mauritania. One of the central figures in that case was Eva Kaili, the former Vice President of the European Parliament, who was stripped of her position after being implicated in the scheme.

Politico described this new scandal as “a continuation of the Qatargate corruption affair”.

At the heart of the previous Qatargate case was the 2022 FIFA World Cup, which was controversially awarded to Qatar despite significant concerns about human rights violations and the mistreatment of migrant workers. Investigations revealed that key European politicians had allegedly shielded Qatar from criticism in exchange for financial incentives. The fact that the World Cup was moved to late autumn and winter, disrupting the traditional football calendar, further fueled suspicions of corruption.

Now, a similar crisis is unfolding in Israel—a country that has been engaged in one of the bloodiest military campaigns in recent history.

Israeli authorities suspect that individuals within Netanyahu’s inner circle may have been secretly promoting Qatari interests through an international company registered in Doha.

Eli Feldstein, one of Netanyahu’s closest aides, is alleged to have used Qatari money to influence Israeli media coverage and attract investments to the emirate. His associate, Jonathan Urich, is also accused of involvement in the scheme. Both were arrested on March 31 on charges of fraud, bribery, and money laundering.

The case became public after Israeli businessman Gil Birger released audio recordings implicating Feldstein. According to Birger, he assisted Feldstein in transferring funds through a Qatari government lobbyist, prompting Israel’s Attorney General’s Office to launch an official investigation. Other journalists and political figures are also suspected of involvement.

As pressure mounts, Netanyahu has gone on the defensive. He denies all accusations, but his actions suggest he is deeply worried.

On March 21, he fired Ronen Bar, the head of Israeli counterintelligence (Shin Bet). This move is widely seen as an attempt to interfere with the investigation, as Shin Bet is leading the probe into the Qatargate 2 scandal. However, Netanyahu claimed that Bar was dismissed due to his failure to prevent the October 7 Hamas attack.

This decision backfired spectacularly. The Israeli Supreme Court blocked Netanyahu’s attempt to remove Bar, calling it a politically motivated move. Undeterred, Netanyahu appointed a new counterintelligence chief, but this individual is seen as loyal only to Netanyahu, raising further concerns about government interference in the investigation.

As if the counterintelligence scandal wasn’t enough, Netanyahu’s government is now embroiled in another crisis: the attempted removal of Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara.

Baharav-Miara was the official who ordered the investigation into Qatargate 2, and her sudden dismissal attempt has sparked outrage. Many believe Netanyahu is desperately trying to block the case from progressing further.

Netanyahu now finds himself cornered. He has ruled Israel for years, navigating multiple scandals, but this crisis is different. His closest allies are under arrest, his attempts to suppress investigations have been exposed, and the judiciary is resisting his interventions.

With no clear way forward, he is left scrambling for a way out of an increasingly narrow and dark political alley.

The “Turkish Scenario” Moves to France

This week, France found itself at the center of a political crisis eerily similar to the one unfolding in Turkey. The French government, which previously expressed concern over the imprisonment of a key opposition leader in Turkey, is now facing its political scandal.

A Paris court has sentenced Marine Le Pen, leader of the far-right National Rally party and the main rival of President Emmanuel Macron, to four years in prison. Two years will be suspended, while she will serve the remaining two years under electronic surveillance. Additionally, she has been banned from holding public office for five years, a sanction that will take immediate effect regardless of any appeal.

Le Pen is not alone in this case—eight other members of the National Rally party have also been found guilty of embezzlement.

The roots of this case go back to 2015, when authorities began investigating the misuse of EU funds by Le Pen’s party. The trial officially began on September 30, 2023, at the Paris Criminal Court. Prosecutors alleged that Le Pen and over 20 other party members had fraudulently used EU funds to finance the National Rally by hiring “assistants” who were working for the party, not for their representatives in the European Parliament.

One of the most notable examples was Terry Lege, whose supposed "assistant" role was merely a cover. In reality, he had served for nearly two decades as the bodyguard of the party’s founder, Jean-Marie Le Pen, and later as Marine Le Pen’s personal security guard.

The total amount of embezzled funds was estimated at nearly 7 million euros. Given the seriousness of the charges, Le Pen faced a maximum sentence of 10 years in prison. On November 13, 2023, the Paris Prosecutor’s Office formally requested a five-year prison sentence for her and a two-million-euro fine for her party.

Le Pen, however, dismissed the case as politically motivated, accusing prosecutors of trying to deny the French people their right to choose their leader.

Now that the case has reached its conclusion, Marine Le Pen has been sentenced, but the political implications are just beginning. Many observers see striking parallels between this case and the political turmoil in Turkey. Just as Turkish opposition leaders have been targeted with prison sentences, France now finds itself in a similar situation, with one of the country’s strongest opposition figures facing legal action just ahead of a critical election period.

Despite her four-year prison sentence and a five-year ban from public office, Le Pen remains defiant. She has vowed to continue her political career and even plans to run for president in the next elections. Speaking to a French television network on March 31, she declared:

“I am a fighter. I will not allow myself to be destroyed.”

She also insisted that she would never leave politics and described the court’s decision as political persecution, likening it to authoritarian tactics.

Le Pen remains one of the most formidable figures in French politics. In the 2022 presidential elections, she secured 23.15% of the vote in the first round. Although she ultimately lost to Macron in the second round, she still garnered more than 41% of the vote—a significant increase from her past campaigns.

Public opinion polls suggest that her political influence remains strong. A recent study by the French Institute of Public Opinion, conducted in late March, put her approval rating at 37%—a strong indicator of her continued appeal.

Le Pen’s legal troubles have triggered a wave of reactions from Europe’s right-wing leaders. Following the court’s verdict, key right-wing politicians from across Europe voiced their support for Le Pen, including:

• Matteo Salvini (Deputy Prime Minister of Italy)
• Viktor Orbán (Prime Minister of Hungary)
• Geert Wilders (Leader of the far-right Freedom Party of the Netherlands)

Given that many of these figures are associated with Europe’s nationalist movements, some analysts expect a response from the Trump administration, which has historically supported nationalist parties across Europe. If this happens, the French court’s decision could have international ramifications, further fueling tensions between nationalist and establishment forces across the West.

Mirziyoyev’s Exclusive Interview with Euronews

Uzbek President Shavkat Mirziyoyev recently sat down for an exclusive interview with Euronews, one of the world’s most influential media outlets. During the discussion, he explained Uzbekistan’s continued engagement with Afghanistan, despite many countries hesitating to cooperate with the Taliban interim government.

“We have never turned our backs on our neighbor, nor have we ever severed ties. We have always believed that Afghanistan cannot develop without constructive cooperation with its neighbors, including Uzbekistan, its closest and most important partner,” Mirziyoyev stated.

According to the President, many critics of Uzbekistan’s open policy toward Afghanistan are now conceding that it was the right approach and that there is no viable alternative. He also remarked that the previous Afghan administration, led by Ashraf Ghani, was incapable of governing the country and that its collapse was inevitable.

“We were convinced that the previous regime in Afghanistan would not be able to maintain power. It failed to control its own territory, refused to engage in dialogue with the opposition, failed to form an inclusive government, and was plagued by rampant corruption,” he explained.

Uzbekistan’s Continued Support for Afghanistan

Mirziyoyev emphasized that the current Afghan government is focusing on stabilizing the country, improving infrastructure, and eradicating poppy cultivation. He cited a United Nations report which found that, since the Taliban banned the drug trade in 2023, poppy cultivation in Afghanistan has decreased by 95%.

Uzbekistan, he said, is actively working to help rural communities transition to alternative agricultural sectors and is ready to collaborate with the European Union and other international partners to support Afghanistan’s long-term development. The Uzbek government is also prioritizing education initiatives for Afghan youth.

Mirziyoyev’s advocacy for international engagement with Afghanistan has been a consistent part of his foreign policy. During the UN Special Program for the Economy of Central Asia summit in Baku, Azerbaijan, in November 2023, he called for formal dialogue with the Taliban. The President criticized the absence of an Afghan representative at the summit, warning that isolating Afghanistan would only worsen its problems.

Since then, Uzbekistan has strengthened ties with Afghanistan. In February 2024, the Uzbek government formally transferred the Afghan embassy in Tashkent to representatives of the Taliban interim government. The following month, Prime Minister Abdulla Aripov held bilateral talks with Mullah Abdulghani Baradar, the Taliban’s acting deputy prime minister.

Uzbekistan’s position on Afghanistan’s frozen assets has also remained clear. At the Turkic States Organization summit in Shusha, Azerbaijan, in July 2023, Mirziyoyev urged the international community to unfreeze Afghanistan’s financial assets held abroad. Later, in August, Prime Minister Aripov visited Kabul, where he signed five agreements with the Taliban leadership, further deepening bilateral cooperation.

Three Uzbeks Sentenced to Death in UAE

A United Arab Emirates court has sentenced three Uzbek citizens to death for their role in the murder of a Jewish rabbi. The Uzbek Foreign Ministry confirmed the verdict in response to an inquiry from QALAMPIR.UZ.

The case dates back to November 2023, when three Uzbek nationals were arrested in the UAE on suspicion of killing Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, an Israeli and Moldovan citizen. Following their arrest, Uzbek Foreign Minister Bakhtiyor Saidov met with Israeli Ambassador to Uzbekistan Gideon Lustig and expressed condolences over the murder.

Saidov emphasized that Uzbekistan strongly opposes terrorism and extremism, stating that the government was fully cooperating with UAE and Israeli authorities in the investigation.

The UAE authorities determined that the suspects had tracked and killed the victim with assistance from an unidentified fourth person. The convicted individuals were identified as:

• Olimboy Tohirovich Mahmudjon Abdulrahim, 28
• Azizbek Komilovich, 33

The identity and nationality of the fourth defendant, who was convicted of aiding and abetting the crime and sentenced to life imprisonment, have not been disclosed.

On November 25, 2023, UAE Prosecutor General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi ordered the suspects to stand trial. The State Security Prosecutor’s Office presented detailed evidence, including:

• Confessions from the defendants
• Forensic and post-mortem reports
• Details of the weapons used in the murder
• Witness testimonies

Under UAE law, all death sentences are automatically appealed and referred to the Criminal Division of the Federal Supreme Court for final review.

Prosecutor General Al Shamsi defended the verdict, emphasizing that it reflects the UAE’s commitment to justice, the rule of law, and fair trial guarantees. He also warned that the UAE judiciary would take a firm stance against any attempt to undermine national security and stability.

He further stressed that the UAE is a global model of coexistence and tolerance, ensuring the safety and rights of all residents, regardless of their religious or ethnic background.