Maj. Gen. (res.) Yoav “Poli” Mordechai, a senior Israeli Defense Forces official now under criminal investigation for alleged bribery related to Qatargate, was previously entrusted by the Israeli government with sensitive diplomatic missions involving officials in the Gulf state, court documents submitted in Jerusalem District Court reveal.
The documents were submitted by Alon Ushpiz, former director general of the Foreign Ministry, as part of his request to shorten the cooling-off period before joining Novard, a cybersecurity firm central to the Qatargate investigation. Ushpiz detailed how Mordechai’s longstanding contacts in Doha were leveraged for official diplomatic efforts.
Mordechai is under investigation for allegedly facilitating illicit connections between Qatari officials and Israeli political figures, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s advisers Yonatan Urich and Israel “Shrulik” Einhorn. Channel 13 News reported Mordechai was questioned under caution over a month ago.
Despite the investigation, Mordechai continues to serve on the government’s hostages affairs staff, a role held since the outbreak of the recent war.
Additional allegations suggest Mordechai and a former senior Mossad official used foreign companies to bypass Israel’s lack of formal diplomatic relations with Qatar, facilitating dealings and payments to political consultants.
Ushpiz confirmed Mordechai approached him about joining Novard after leaving the Foreign Ministry. He also disclosed prior interactions between Novard and the ministry, including unpaid support related to Israeli travel to Qatar during the World Cup.
A letter from the Civil Service Commission, included in the filing, verified Novard’s discreet assistance to the Foreign Ministry on two matters without material benefit, thus not constituting a conflict of interest.
Investigators are examining coded communications with Qatar’s intelligence services and tracing a “Qatari money trail” to uncover payments and influence networks. Mordechai is believed to have played a central role.
Documents also reveal Novard’s work with Qatari authorities via a German-registered intermediary company, providing cybersecurity services ahead of the World Cup. The Defense Ministry approved these activities, which were independent of the Foreign Ministry’s involvement.
Novard issued a statement defending Mordechai, stressing his decades of official, legal service to Israel, and noting he has ceased business activities since being called up for reserve duty to assist with hostages.
