Uri Blau

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Uri Blau is a veteran investigative journalist with over 25 years of experience conducting complex investigations. His work revealed corrupt practices of top public figures, murky money trails of wealthy businessmen, military-related wrongdoings and more. Blau’s work has been published in Haaretz, BBC, Washington Post, AP, Harper’s Weekly, ProPublica, PBS, Nieman Reports, and other platforms. He is also a member of the International Consortium of Investigative Journalism (ICIJ). Under that capacity he was part of the Pulitzer Prize winning team that produced the Panama Papers, and together with Shomrim worked on Pandora Papers and other projects.

Articles

Uri Blau

Exclusive: Israel and Jerusalem Churches Quietly Negotiate a Deal Over Long-Disputed Property Taxes

The Jerusalem Municipality is seeking hundreds of millions of shekels from major Christian denominations in municipal property taxes triggering U.S. lobbying efforts, diplomatic pressure and high-level negotiations including intervention by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu

June 22, 2026

Leaked Kremlin Files Reveal Russian Plot to Spread Chaos Across Europe and Israel

Leaked Kremlin documents show how, as part of influence campaigns, Russia orchestrated a series of incidents, including throwing green paint at Paris synagogues and hurling pigs’ heads at mosques. The leaks also revealed plans to set up a fictitious Think Tank in Israel to advance the Russian narrative. This investigation report is part of an OCCRP project in which Shomrim is the Israeli representative.

May 24, 2026

Nothing Spontaneous About It: The Hidden Hands Behind America's Anti-War Protests

Shomrim investigation reveals how a network linked to American tech millionaire Neville Roy Singham funneled millions into organizations now leading protests against Israel and the Iran strikes — while echoing Beijing's talking points

March 8, 2026

Revealed: Police Operating 6,600 Cameras in Public Spaces Nationwide

After years of refusing to disclose data – claiming that doing so would undermine deterrence – it now turns out that the Israel Police are operating a massive surveillance network, connecting thousands of cameras from various sources. And there are plans for a significant expansion of 5,000 more cameras, including controversial facial recognition capabilities that have not been authorized by legislation. A Shomrim exposé

February 1, 2026

Most Advertising Agencies Declined to Run Israeli Campaigns in Times Square

An official Foreign Ministry document, revealed here for the first time, shows that among the many advertising firms operating in New York’s Times Square, “only two agreed to publish content and videos for the State of Israel. All other companies refused.” This is further evidence of the low point Israel’s standing has reached in the United States. A Shomrim exposé.

December 14, 2025

A Multimillion-dollar Tax Bonanza: How Hamas Took Back Economic Control of the Gaza Strip

Hamas has started re-imposing taxes and commissions on goods entering Gaza, capitalizing on the renewed flow of dual-use items and the growing number of private trucks entering the enclave. According to estimates, it has already generated more than 200 million shekels ($66 million) since the cease-fire began. At the same time, Israel is losing control over its mechanisms for monitoring what enters Gaza, while the United States is constraining the Israeli government’s ability to curb the flow of cash to Hamas. A Shomrim investigation.

November 26, 2025

Unmasking the ‘Coin Laundry’: The Global Crypto-Laundering Network Linking Hamas, Iran and Drug Cartels

An investigation by more than 110 journalists from 35 countries – in which Shomrim was the Israeli representative – reveals how terrorist organizations including Hamas, money laundering operations and drug cartels use crypto exchanges to transfer billions of dollars in illicit funding – and why no one can stop them. Shomrim reveals exclusively that the Israel Police has signed a contract with an international company that specializes in cryptocurrency investigations and compliance

November 20, 2025

Exclusive: The United States Plans to Establish a Large Military Base on the Gaza Border

US plans a $500 million base near Gaza border, Israeli sources say. According to Israeli officials, the planned US base would house several thousand troops tasked with maintaining the cease-fire between Israel and Hamas; the move signals Washington’s determination to deepen its involvement in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This investigation is co-published with Yedioth Ahronoth.

November 11, 2025

Israel Seeks to Confiscate Vessels Without Paying a Fortune

Fifty-two vessels are taking part in the largest protest flotilla ever organized to challenge Israel’s naval blockade of the Gaza Strip. Among the activists on board is Swedish climate campaigner Greta Thunberg. Ahead of the flotilla’s expected arrival near the Israeli coast, the government is advancing new legislation aimed at cutting legal red tape and reducing the potential costs of storing confiscated boats for extended periods.

September 29, 2025

Samir Hulileh, Tapped to Govern Gaza in Post-War Plan Revealed by Shomrim, Arrested in Ramallah

According to testimonies received by Shomrim, four vehicles carrying nearly twenty armed members of the Palestinian Preventive Security arrested Hulileh while he was sitting in a restaurant in Ramallah, apparently under the orders of the Palestinian President. The revelation of his candidacy for governor of Gaza sparked waves in the Arab world and threats from the Palestinian Authority, after which Hulileh left Ramallah for Amman, where he stayed for the past few weeks before returning and being arrested.

September 10, 2025

Exposé: The Palestinian Tycoon Being Touted as Gaza’s Post-War Governor

A Palestinian businessman and former government official from Ramallah could be appointed governor of the Gaza Strip once the war ends. The prospective appointment of Samir Hulileh is being advanced through efforts involving the Trump administration, talks with Saudi and Egyptian officials, and even an ex-Israeli lobbyist operating from Canada. The plan: “No remnants of Hamas or Islamic Jihad,” alongside more than $50 billion in investment. “We have identified Gulf states willing to invest,” Hulileh told Shomrim. Published also in Yediot Aharonot and Ynet

August 12, 2025

Qatar Hires Former U.S. Education Secretary as Latest Lobbyist in Washington

With growing criticism of Qatar’s massive investment in American universities, the oil-rich Gulf state has hired the services of yet another lobbyist – this time focusing on education. Just months ago, a Shomrim investigation revealed how Qatari money was also infiltrating the American K-12 education system

July 30, 2025

Ministry of Education to Fund Channel 14 Conference with 250,000 Shekels for ‘Jewish Identity’ Initiatives

Just weeks after Minister of Education Yoav Kisch launched a new program to strengthen Jewish and Zionist identity in Israeli schools – a plan that was promoted by people close to an openly homophobic Knesset member – his ministry will sponsor a ‘Jewish Identity Conference” at the pro-government and controversial Israel's channel 14. The Ministry of Education in response: The agreement has all the necessary approvals

July 30, 2025

The Gaza Effect: Anti-Israel, Pro-Palestinian Organizations Raise Millions of Dollars In Donations

Jewish Voice for Peace, an anti-Zionist organization at the forefront of campus protests across the United States, has seen its donations triple since October 7th and have raised over $11 million last year. Other pro-Palestinian groups are also reporting a surge in support. Meanwhile, donations to pro-Israel organizations have also risen sharply.

July 7, 2025

The Man Behind Security for the Gaza Humanitarian Aid Project

A Shomrim investigation reveals: UG Solutions, an American company operating in the Gaza Strip, is owned by Jameson Govoni, a former Green Beret. Govoni also owns multiple businesses focused on hangover prevention drinks and security services, many of which are registered to the same post office box in a quiet suburban town in North Carolina. Three months ago, just before his company started working in Gaza, Govoni was arrested for leaving the scene of a traffic accident. This raises questions as to how and why UG Solutions was selected for the sensitive aid operation in Gaza. UG Solutions declined to respond to Shomrim’s inquiries. Published also in ynet

July 1, 2025

Eighteen Months Into the War, Crypto Funds Continue to Flow to Hamas

After more than 18 months of war, the Gaza terror organization continues to raise funds in digital currency. It seeks donors on social media platforms and news websites – at least one of which is based in the United Kingdom. ‘To protect your security, it is critical not to reveal your identity to the person conducting the transfer,’ Hamas wrote to an anonymous donor. A Shomrim investigation into the terror funding route. Publishes also in N12

May 22, 2025

The Secretly Established Mechanism for Funding and Operating the Humanitarian Program in Gaza

Two nonprofit organizations with identical names – one in the United States, the other in Switzerland; two private companies that provide security services; and one American attorney who specializes in tax bureaucracy. Hiding behind the U.S. humanitarian aid plan for the Gaza Strip are NGOs registered in non-transparent jurisdictions and two American security companies. The public will be the last to know. A Shomrim exposé, published also in Calcalist

May 11, 2025

Qatar Hires Pardoned Trump Ally as New U.S Lobbyist

In the wake of the Qatargate scandal and revelations that Jay Footlik, one of Qatar’s lobbyists, paid money to an employee of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, Qatar has hired an additional lobbyist in Washington: Bernard Kerik, a former New York police commissioner who was convicted of tax fraud and later pardoned by President Trump. “There should be no doubt that Qatar will be an indispensable ally for the president,” Kerik wrote about the country, which is paying him $80,000 a month.

April 22, 2025

Qatargate: Contract Reveals that Qatari Approval Prerequisite for Nentanyahu's Spokesperson Hiring

The contract between American lobbyist Jay Footlik and Qatar dictated that the oil-rich Gulf state had to approve the employment of any subcontractor hired anywhere in the Middle East. And while Footlik was quoted as saying he was unaware he hired an employee of the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, the agreement obliged him to check whether his subcontractors were employed anywhere in the region and had conflict of interests. Footlik declined to respond

March 24, 2025

Megadeals and a Huge Donation to Gaza Settlements

About 18 months ago, Leah Dankner sold her shares in Dor Chemicals—assets she had held for decades. A few months later, she donated more than 6.5 million shekels to an organization promoting Jewish resettlement in the Gaza Strip. Efforts to ask her about the donation and the sale were met with firm resistance from staff at the luxury assisted-living facility where she now resides. Her relatives, including those involved in the share transaction, declined to comment. The Custodian General stated: "We have requested welfare services to check in on her." An investigation by Shomrim and Calcalist.

February 16, 2025

Vaccine Vulnerability: Sharp Decline in Infant Vaccination Rate Leaves Israel Exposed

In Safed, Jerusalem and Beit Shemesh, the rate of infant vaccination against measles, mumps and rubella dropped by 15 percent between 2018 and 2022. Across the general population, vaccination coverage has fallen by up to 6 percent and Israel finds itself at the bottom of the ranking of developed nations. Why has there been such a marked decline in ultra-Orthodox society? The Ministry of Health admits that it can’t keep up with the birthrate. A Shomrim exclusive

February 2, 2025

Revealed: The Mysterious Millionaire Funding the Gaza Resettlement Movement

In 2023, the organization advocating for Israeli settlements in the Gaza Strip, led by Daniella Weiss, received a significant donation of 6.5 million shekels (approximately $1.9 million), which supported its extensive activities throughout the year. Shomrim has now uncovered that the funds originated from a relatively obscure figure within a prominent Israeli family: Leah Dankner, a 99-year-old millionaire known for her numerous disputes with other family members. Published also in Calcalist.

January 16, 2025

‘A Failure by Every Conceivable Parameter’: The Government’s Campaign Against the Global Delegitimization of Israel

Being shunted from ministry to ministry; an absence of a fixed budget framework; investing in controversial projects, and a lack of professional backing. These are just some of the government's failures in fighting antisemitism and delegitimization of Israel over the past decade. Yet ‘The Ministry of Diaspora Affairs is poised to continue and spend millions on such issues and is now enlisting 'Maccabi World Union' for a public relations contract worth 15 million shekels a year. A Shomrim expose, also published by Calcalist.

October 31, 2024

The Hasbara Crisis: Leaked Document Shows Why Israel is Losing the Public Diplomacy War

After a year of war, Israel’s public diplomacy directorate is barely functioning, according to a document from the Prime Minister’s Office obtained by Shomrim and revealed here for the first time. The document describes a leadership vacuum at the National Public Diplomacy Directorate, the hiring of English-language spokespeople on a freelance basis, and the complete lack of a national public diplomacy strategy. “The damage is evident and worsening by the day,” the document states. In response, the directorate claimed, “We are working around the clock and leading Israel’s public diplomacy efforts”. A Shomrim exclusive.

September 25, 2024

Shomrim Exclusive: Germany Halts Arms Exports to Israel

Despite making no official announcement about suspending arms exports to Israel, Germany is no longer approving licenses. Since the start of the year, German arms exports to Israel have totaled just 32,000 euros and in the past six months, not a single permit has been issued. In 2023, German arms exports to Israel came to 20 million euros. The Economic Affairs Ministry in Berlin said in response: ‘Our government has made its expectations known in public and in closed-door discussions with Israel.’ A Shomrim investigation in collaboration with Austrian magazine Profil

September 15, 2024

Revealed: The NGO Opposing a Gaza Ceasefire Receives Millions in Government Funding

‘Until Victory,' a nationwide campaign that has released attack ads targeting the IDF Chief of Staff and senior members of the Israeli legal system, is funded by the NGO Shivat Zion Le’Rigvy Admata, which supports agricultural settlements and outposts in the occupied territories. An activist from the group told a potential donor that they have also circulated anonymous videos criticizing the army chief and ‘Brothers in Arms.’ In recent years, the NGO has received 7.4 million shekels ($2 Million) in government funding. A source familiar with the operations responded, stating: 'I’m not aware of any anonymous videos.' Published also in Calcalist.

September 3, 2024

Disease without Borders: Massive Piles of Garbage in Gaza also Threaten Israel

Hundreds of untreated garbage heaps have sprung up in Gaza since the collapse of the sanitation system there. The great concern is that diseases and other health and environmental hazards will cross into Israeli territory. According to experts, even the drinking water in Ashdod could be contaminated by the toxic buildups in Gaza. The Israeli military in response: We’ve set up a dedicated team to address the issue. A Shomrim investigation, also published in The Times of Israel

August 6, 2024

U.S. to Expand Sanctions on Far-Right Extremists and Settler Groups, Senior State Dept. Official Says

The United States is considering imposing sanctions on Amana, one of the key organizations in Israel’s settlement enterprise, which is involved in almost every aspect of the West Bank settlements. The Director of the Office of Economic Sanctions Policy and Implementation at the State Department: ‘We want to see a change in behavior. Mission is certainly not accomplished.” A Shomrim exclusive

July 29, 2024

The Netanyahu’s Host

New details have emerged about Simon Falic and his family, in whose Jerusalem home Sara and Benjamin Netanyahu relocated at the start of the Israel-Hamas war. Hundreds of companies in tax havens, a private jet, donations to right-wing extremist Bentzi Gopstein, and spats with his neighbors. This investigation has also been published in Calcalist.

November 29, 2023

Business as Usual: Israel’s Religious Affairs Minister Set Up a Real Estate Company in the Middle of the War

Conflict-of-interest regulations and the Knesset Members Immunity Law both bar lawmakers from having any other employment. And yet a special committee has given Michael Malkieli, the minister for religious affairs, permission to register a new company. This is the same politician who once proposed a law to downgrade transparency in the real estate industry. Malkieli in response: I am fully dedicated to the ministry. A Shomrim investigation, also published in Calcalist

April 1, 2024

Minister Nir Barkat Granted Permission to Retain Authority over His Financial Realm. His Business Associate Served on the Permits Committee

Exposé: Late last year, Economy Minister Nir Barkat attended a hearing of the Permits Committee and asked for exceptional permission to keep control of a business empire. Shomrim now reveals that one of the three members of the panel that approved his request was Shmuel Slavin, Barkat’s partner in a real estate investment trust. Following Shomrim’s inquiry, the State Comptroller announced that the approval has been rescinded and the committee will reconvene. Slavin’s response: “Barkat has distanced himself and that looks fine to me”.

February 22, 2024

Following Shomrim’s Investigative Story: European Union Slaps Sanctions on Hamas’ Chief Financier

The European Union has imposed sanctions against Abdelbasit Hamza, whose business activities in Spain, Egypt and Cypriot banks were uncovered in an international investigation conducted by Shomrim, CNN and the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists (ICIJ). This is the first time that the Europeans have taken such measures against an individual with links to Hamas. Washington is also looking into Hamza’s financial activities and offered a financial prize to anyone coming forward with information.

January 21, 2024

The Document That Dents Gal Hirsch’s Defense In Tax Evasion Case

Netanyahu’s point man for the Israelis missing and captive in Gaza, Gal Hirsch, is on trial for multi million-shekel tax evasion. His main defense is that he did not own the company that received money from a deal with the Georgian government. Documents uncovered by Shomrim show that while the owner of the company is not mentioned by name, Hirsch was given almost unlimited power of attorney to run it as he saw fit. His lawyers refused to respond, saying that the issue will soon be settled in court. This investigation is also published in Calcalist

October 26, 2023

Company Says it “Donated” New Building to Sderot Police. In Fact, they Will Receive Monthly Rent of 230,000 Shekels

The Mivne Group claimed on its Facebook page that it ‘donated’ an alternative building for the Israel Police in Sderot, after the station there was destroyed in fighting with Hamas. Last week, the police were granted emergency funding of 8.4 million shekels ($2.1 million) to rent the building for three years – which appears to be higher than the average rent in the area. The Finance Ministry insists that it’s a reasonable price. A Shomrim exposé

October 17, 2023

Shomrim Investigation Uncovers: U.S. Billionaire Danchik Channels Funds to Kohelet through American 'Medical Research' Institution

A 2021 revelation exposes a $12 million donation from U.S. billionaire Arthur Danchik's philanthropic foundation to an ostensibly 'research institution,' which subsequently routed funds to the Central Fund of Israel. This fund supports various charities and associations in Israel. The Kohelet Policy Forum, instrumental in driving the Netanyahu government's judicial overhaul, recorded a single donation that year—attributed to the Central Fund of Israel. Both Danchik and Kohelet have refrained from providing responses. A collaborative investigation by Shomrim and TheMarker.

August 22, 2023

Aliyah Ministry's Response to Decreased Western Immigration: Funding Hebron's Flag March

Facing a projected 60% decline in immigration from Western countries due to judicial changes, the Ministry of Aliyah and Integration proposes a solution: Providing 150,000 shekels ($40,000) to Shavei Hevron yeshiva for a parade involving French Jews.

August 13, 2023

Israel Police Seeks Increased Procurement of Riot-Control Equipment Amid Ongoing Demonstrations

Amidst the ongoing demonstrations against the government’s proposed judicial reforms, the Israel Police has initiated efforts to acquire a substantial quantity of riot-control weapons. The procurement requests include a significant increase in batons, tactical gloves, goggles, fencing, and sponge grenades. The motives behind the extensive acquisitions remain undisclosed by the police department.

August 7, 2023

Still Connected: Economy Minister Nir Barkat’s Business Empire Raises Conflict of Interest Concerns

Four years after he was first elected to the Knesset and more than six months into his tenure as economy minister, Nir Barkat hasn't divested from his business portfolio – which includes holdings in many different companies operating in Israel. He once claimed that his interests are in a blind trust controlled by his brother, but the rules do not permit ministers to use first-degree relatives as trust-holders. A former deputy attorney general says: ‘Barkat must sell or get a conditional permit to keep his holdings.’ Barkat refused to respond. After publication of this article, his office said: ‘Barkat does what is required of him by law.’ A Shomrim investigation, also published in Calcalist

July 16, 2023

Behind the Scenes of the Submarine Deal

The first ThyssenKrupp submarines that were delivered to Israel came with periscopes that did not meet the Navy’s operational demands and were upgraded at huge expense. The Defense Ministry decided that the upgrade would be carried out by the manufacturer of the substandard periscopes, which was paid from the military aid that Israel receives from the United States – and not from the ministry’s procurement budget. The Navy, it seems, did not like the idea and just before the manufacture of the next batch of submarines, it advised a competing company how to improve its offer to the Defense Ministry by adding an Israeli “strategic partner.” The IDF and the Defense Ministry declined to comment. A Shomrim investigation. Published also in “The Times of Israel”

May 27, 2023

Two Months After Government was Sworn In, Not One Minister Has Submitted a Conflict-of-Interest Agreement

Ministers are supposed to submit the preliminary conflict-of-interest questionnaire, on which their final agreement is based, within 30 days of taking office. Only 9 of the current 32 ministers have done so, and none have completed and published their final agreements. In comparison, two months after the previous government was sworn in, seven ministers had filed final agreements. A Shomrim investigation

February 23, 2023

Revealed: Kohelet’s Billionaire Funders Invested In a Company Partly Owned by Economy Minister Nir Barkat

Arthur Dantchik and Jeff Yass have been revealed to be the main American funders of the Kohelet Policy Forum, with which Barkat has a very cozy and close relationship. In 2021 one of their companies invested in eToro, in which Barkat has shares. Barkat in response: Your attempt to intimidate elected officials from cooperating with Kohelet will not succeed. A Shomrim/TheMarker investigation

February 15, 2023

Shadow Diplomats: Hezbollah’s Money-Smuggling Route Exposed

An international investigation by ICIJ, ProPublica, and 45 media outlets including Shomrim as the Israeli partner, exposes how the Lebanese terror organization used honorary consuls to fund its activity.

November 14, 2022

Exclusive: Israel’s Outgoing Government Approved a First-Ever Outreach Program to Progressive American Jews

After years of neglect by Israeli decision-makers, the outgoing government launched a first-ever initiative aimed at tackling the growing rift between the State of Israel and progressive Jews in the United States. Supporters of the project - revealed here for the first time - say that its importance lies in the fact that, for the first time, Israel will be officially cooperating with Conservative and Reform communities. Its detractors argue that it does not address key issues that are worrisome for its intended audience. Either way, the projects’ survival under the new government is at risk. A Shomrim exclusive

November 10, 2022

Jerusalem’s Garbage Dump: Petition Filed to Close Sewage Plant at Atarot

Six months ago, Shomrim revealed that the police’s Occupational Health Unit found that the severe air pollution at the Atarot industrial zone was endangering the health of officers serving nearby. Now, following a petition filed by the owner of an adjacent shopping mall seeking the closure of a sewage treatment plant, it turns out that a senior official from Jerusalem Municipality described the whole area as “a garbage dump” and that the Ministry of Environmental Protection has already sought to rescind the plant’s operating license – before changing its mind. The company’s response: We were there first. A Shomrim follow-up

November 3, 2022

Revealed: Barrels of Radioactive Waste Stored for Years in Central Israel

The Volcani Center, located in the central Israeli city of Rishon Letzion, accumulated a large quantity of radioactive waste over a period of up to 15 years – hazardous material that should, by law, have been disposed of at the Negev Nuclear Research Center. Some of the waste comes from the phosphorus-32 isotope, which can lead to severe health problems. After an inspection by the Ministry of Environmental Protection, the Volcani Center was ordered to dispose of the waste at once – a process that took another four months. A Shomrim exposé

September 8, 2022

U.S. Confirms: 'Continued Dialog' With Israel Over NSO’s Inclusion on Blacklist

Israeli cybersecurity firm NSO was added to the blacklist after a series of investigations revealed that it's Pegasus spyware had been against journalists and human rights activists. Sources familiar with the case say that Israel has officially decided to intervene in the matter – partly because of concern that other companies offering offensive cyber tools could be blacklisted, harming the entire industry. The State Department recently confirmed for the first time to Shomrim that there has been contact with Israel on the issue. The Prime Minister’s Office refused to respond

July 19, 2022

Uber Lobbied Israeli, U.S. Ambassadors to Halt Criminal Probe Into the Company’s Israeli Operations

When a criminal investigation against Uber in Israel was launched, the company got nervous. “(I) don’t want our guys getting put in jail,” one senior Uber official wrote. He then detailed how the company should handle the situation: Hire someone to make phone calls at the highest level to persuade them to “calm the fuck down.” A former US Ambassador was hired. He contacted the US ambassador to Israel, Dan Shapiro, and the Israeli ambassador to the US, Ron Dermer. According to leaked emails, they were sympathetic to the company’s cause and expressed willingness to help. Dermer in response: Israeli officials listen to the arguments of American companies even if they have no intention of changing policy or using their influence. A Shomrim investigation

July 10, 2022

Uber’s Global Strategy: Ties With Macron, Deals with Putin’s Oligarchs, and an Anti-Investigation Kill Switch

Seven heads of state and 20 ministers in various governments across the world met with representatives of Uber during the period covered by the leak. This did not happen organically: the company hired a lengthy list of lobbyists – including former advisors to President Obama, ex-ambassadors, and people with close ties in government circles. When political contacts alone were not enough to prevent investigations from being launched, the company set up an emergency procedure for destroying documents that could be of interest to authorities

July 10, 2022

Netanyahu and The Uber Files: A Meeting in Davos, a Clash With Katz and Help From the PMO

A massive leak of documents has revealed the extent to which Uber used connections, pressure, and lobbyists as part of its efforts to penetrate the Israeli market. A Shomrim investigation shows how the company managed to get as far up as then-prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who, according to the leaks, promised to “break the resistance” of the transportation minister. According to the documents, Eli Groner, the director-general of the Prime Minister’s Office, told the company what messages would win over the Israeli public, when to go to the media and repeatedly reminded Uber that “it’s important that the prime minister looks good.” On a separate occasion, he asked that any future communication be sent to his private email address, not his government one. Netanyahu, Groner and Katz did not respond

July 10, 2022

The Same Bill, Drafted by Uber, Submitted to Knesset Three Times

The bill sought to regulate the company’s operations in Israel and was last submitted to the Israeli parliament for approval eight months ago. It was tabled by Knesset members from several different parties. A Shomrim investigation

July 10, 2022

Revealed: Health Officials Call for Evacuation of Border Police Base Over High Air Pollution

Air pollution near the Atarot base, north of Jerusalem, exceeds the Israeli limit – which is considered extremely lax – by 288 percent. Sometimes, it reaches 1,000 percent over the limit. The Israel Police’s Occupational Health and Safety Unit want the base evacuated, but, in the meantime, the police will make do with constant monitoring. The police response: “We’ve set up a committee.”

May 25, 2022

SuisseSecrets Massive Leak: Mickey Ganor's secret account

A massive leak from one of the world's biggest private banks has revealed that one of the key figures in the so-called submarine affair, Mickey Ganor, held an account that, at one time, had a balance of $687,000. It appears that this account was not part of the police investigation and is not mentioned in the indictment against him. Ganor's lawyers declined to respond. The account's existence was revealed as part of SuisseSecrets, an international project spearheaded by the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project and German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung. Some 50 media outlets examined the documents leaked from the famously secretive bank. Shomrim's Uri Blau was the Israeli representative to the project.

February 20, 2022

Pandora papers: Hundreds of Israelis star in the biggest financial leak in history

Investigations by Shomrim, based on the Pandora Papers, uncover MK Nir Barkat’s holdings in the Virgin Islands and the questions surrounding the blind trust he signed; the massive debt that a company owned by Haim Ramon took on from old friend Martin Schlaff; and the Steinmetz family’s interest, while facing legal cases, in transferring 1 billion euros to the Cook Islands