“I salute the Qatari intelligence organizations that managed to infiltrate us with an incredible recruitment of two agents,” said former Shin Bet senior official Ilan Segev in an interview with 103FM on Thursday.
Segev accused Prime Minister Netanyahu’s advisors, Eli Feldstein and Jonathan Urich, of working directly for Qatar. “In the recruitment of an agent, there are stages: first, identifying the target, which was the Prime Minister's office,” Segev said.
“Next is identifying the target for recruitment, establishing contact, activation, and cover. We are in the activation and cover stage,” he added. Segev referred to the cover as supposedly "business-related," in reference to allegations that Feldstein and Urich accepted bribes from Qatar.
“I ask a simple question: out of all of the advisors and lobbyists in the world, how did Qatar happen to find two in the Prime Minister’s office? Can someone explain that to me?”
Segev emphasized the dangers posed by Qatari infiltrations. "Qatar is an enemy state. The strength we witnessed from Hamas on October 7 can only be attributed to one country, and that is Qatar. Anyone who helps my enemy expand in this way is an enemy state."
“Appointing an acting head of Shin Bet is a serious security mistake."
The head of the Shin Bet
Segev also expressed concern over the appointment of an acting head of Shin Bet, stating, “The most important organization in the State of Israel is the Shin Bet, and appointing an acting head there is a serious mistake for the country's security, regardless of politics.”
“The acting head is the worst position for the organization. The authority of the acting head is not the authority of the head of the organization,” Segev said. “People will see him as a temporary power who won’t be there tomorrow.”
Additionally, Segev warned that the instability of the position could potentially affect the Shin Bet’s agenda. “The ambition of an acting head is to become the actual head, and he will act in a way that aligns with whoever may appoint him."
Regarding "s,” the current candidate expected to fill the position of head of the Shin Bet, Segev stated, “I’ve known him for 25 years, he’s a great guy. So what?”
“If he has aspirations to be the head of the organization, is he going to go against the Prime Minister who is supposed to appoint him? It doesn’t matter how strong and good he is. He won’t have a choice. Everyone will naturally behave this way.”
The former Shin Bet senior official also revealed who he believes is the most suitable candidate for the head of the service: "If I look at who faced the first four heads, there’s one I’ll mention by name: Yair Sagii (Roli), who has held every position in the organization. He previously competed for the role against Ronen Bar."
