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Zvika Klein, editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post, issued a detailed response Thursday to allegations against him in the so-called Qatargate affair, after being questioned under caution and held under house arrest earlier this week.
Klein, who was appointed editor-in-chief in late 2023, said he was stunned by the investigation and maintained that his trip to Qatar — during which he became the first Israeli journalist to interview the Qatari prime minister — was fully transparent and adhered to professional journalistic standards.
“This week, I was arrested. I was placed under house arrest,” Klein wrote in a personal column published by The Jerusalem Post. “In an instant, I went from a public servant to a suspect. Not even in my worst nightmares could I have imagined this.”
The journalist said he had traveled to Qatar to pursue a human-interest story during the 2022 FIFA World Cup, initially out of curiosity about how kosher food was brought into the Gulf state. He ultimately arranged an interview with Qatari leadership, which he said was cleared through official channels and carried out openly.
“At that time, Qatar became a key player in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas,” Klein wrote. “I understood this was a rare journalistic opportunity.”
"I reached out to officials representing the Qatari government and, after some back and forth, I became the first Israeli journalist to interview the prime minister of Qatar. The full story was proudly published in this paper. Nothing was hidden. Everything was done with full transparency and at the highest journalistic standards," he said.
Klein said he received no financial benefit or compensation for the trip and that all related interviews — including broadcasts on Israel’s Channel 12 and Channel 13 — were conducted transparently. The full article about his visit was published in The Jerusalem Post, along with critical responses from other columnists, which Klein said he authorized in the name of press freedom.
He was initially summoned Monday morning to the offices of Lahav 433, the Israel Police’s financial crimes and corruption unit, to provide open testimony. According to Klein, he cooperated fully but was unexpectedly informed mid-interview that he was now being interrogated under caution. His mobile phone was confiscated, he said, without a warrant or explanation, and he was questioned for 12 hours without contact with his family.
“When leaks from the investigation began to emerge — and they are still emerging as I write these lines — I couldn’t respond. I was prohibited from speaking to the media,” he wrote. “My good name was damaged, even before the truth could come out.”
Klein said he was released without conditions on Thursday after arguing that as long as the investigation continued, he could not publish further information.
The police investigation reportedly centers on messages found on the phone of Eli Feldstein, a publicist who contacted Klein following his return from Qatar in March 2024. According to the police, Feldstein coordinated Israeli media appearances for Klein, allegedly at the behest of Israel Einhorn, a former adviser to Minister Israel Katz and a part-time columnist at the paper.
Klein told investigators that Einhorn initially suggested the trip to Qatar and offered to connect him with Qatari officials. The trip was organized with the assistance of Jay Footlik, a U.S.-based lobbyist for Qatar, who accompanied Klein to meetings with Qatari ministers and the prime minister.
After Klein returned to Israel, Einhorn allegedly suggested that Klein promote his article in Israeli media. Klein said he showed little interest, at which point Einhorn connected him with Feldstein. Klein told investigators that Einhorn advised him to tell Feldstein the payment for any promotional work would come from “the American,” referring to Footlik.
Klein said he complied with Einhorn’s request and repeated that message to Feldstein, who did not object. Police reportedly found text messages on both Klein’s and Feldstein’s phones confirming coordination with Footlik, and Feldstein subsequently arranged Klein TV interviews.
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Klein has denied any wrongdoing, emphasizing his professional integrity and commitment to journalistic transparency.
“This case will not intimidate me,” he wrote. “It will not intimidate my dedicated team. It will not intimidate any journalist working with integrity and courage. We are not beholden to anyone, do not serve foreign interests, and owe nothing to anyone.”
He concluded: “The only ones we owe anything to are you, our readers. The public’s right to know is our duty. I am proud of our newspaper, proud of our team, and proud to be an Israeli journalist in a democratic country.” Police have not confirmed whether any charges will be filed. The investigation remains ongoing.