In a video statement released after what he said was an hour of testimony, Netanyahu accused Israeli police of seeking to “topple” his “right-wing government.”

The prime minister said the police had no evidence against his advisers, Jonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein, who were arrested Monday morning. Feldstein, a former military spokesman for Netanyahu, is suspected of conducting public relations for Qatar while working in the prime minister’s office. Qatar previously denied the allegations. He also was arrested last year on charges of leaking stolen classified intelligence to foreign news outlets and was later released.

“This is a political witch hunt that only intends to prevent the firing of the head” of the Shin Bet, Netanyahu said in the video, referring to Ronen Bar, director of Israel’s internal security agency. Netanyahu said this month that he did not trust Bar and would dismiss him.

The details of the Qatar case, which is being handled by the Shin Bet and the national crimes unit of the Israeli police, remain under a court gag order. The charges against the aides have not been made public, but an earlier statement from Netanyahu’s office said the Shin Bet and the attorney general’s office were “fabricating a new case about Qatar.”

According to Israel media reports, the case involves allegations of contact with a foreign agent, the acceptance of bribes, fraud, breach of trust and money laundering.

The arrests could intensify criticism of Netanyahu, who ordered the resumption of military strikes in Gaza this month and is accused by many Israelis of waging war to further his personal political interests. The prime minister testified Monday as a witness in the case involving Urich and Feldstein, not as a suspect, according to an Israeli official, who spoke on the condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to talk to the press.

There have been weeks of mounting allegations that Netanyahu and members of his inner circle were involved in the transfer of money from Qatar, which legal experts say could be considered a violation of Israeli national security law. Qatar and Israel do not have official relations. But before the war in Gaza, Qatar provided funding to the Hamas-run government in the enclave, with Israel’s blessing, and has worked as a mediator between the militant group and Israel during the conflict.

A Qatari government official, speaking on the condition of anonymity to discuss a sensitive subject, said, “This is not the first time we have been the subject of a smear campaign by those who do not want to see an end to this conflict or the remaining hostages returned to their families. We will continue our mediation efforts, together with the U.S. and our regional partners, and will not be distracted or deterred by those who actively seek to derail the negotiations and prolong the conflict.”

Earlier this month, Israeli businessman Gil Berger told Israel’s public broadcaster that he was involved in transferring Qatari money to an adviser in Netanyahu’s office, which Berger said was done for tax purposes.

In recent weeks, Netanyahu has proceeded with plans to replace Israel’s top security and legal officials, including Bar and Gali Baharav-Miara, the attorney general.

The moves triggered street protests by Netanyahu critics, who accuse him of undermining Israeli democracy. Netanyahu has labeled the protesters “anarchists” and said they are angling to overthrow his democratically elected government. He has repeatedly claimed that his decision to fire Bar was unrelated to the ongoing investigations into ties between his office and Qatar.

Baharav-Miara supervises the justice system, which is prosecuting Netanyahu over corruption charges in three cases. Netanyahu is facing charges of fraud, breach of trust and accepting bribes. He is accused of exploiting his office for personal gain, accepting extravagant gifts in exchange for diplomatic favors for billionaire friends, and offering regulatory perks to one of Israel’s largest media moguls in return for positive media coverage. During more than four years of hearings, Netanyahu has denied all wrongdoing.

Netanyahu’s growing showdown with the courts also coincides with a furor surrounding his appointment of Eli Sharvit, a former Israeli navy commander, as the next chief of the Shin Bet. Netanyahu’s office said it interviewed seven candidates in recent weeks. Hours later, members of his government said Sharvit would ultimately not be appointed, because he had participated in the 2023 protests against a Netanyahu program to overhaul and weaken Israel’s judicial system.

Opposition leader Yair Lapid said in a Monday post on X that statements coming out of Netanyahu’s office did not include any denials of the allegations that Israeli officials had received money from Qatar.

“The reason that sentence is missing is that people in Netanyahu’s office did receive money, from a hostile state, during wartime,” Lapid wrote. “Of all the criminal security-related affairs tied to the Prime Minister’s Office, this isn’t just the most serious, it’s also the most outrageous and dangerous.”