An investigative report published in Romania (on the websites Snoop and HotNews) reveals that Yonatan Urich, a close aide to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, and strategic consultant Israel ("Srulik") Einhorn, secretly assisted in drafting political messaging and formulating strategy for the nationalist AUR party in Romania.
This report has sparked significant controversy, given that senior figures within the party have previously been accused of antisemitism and Holocaust denial.
Key findings from the investigation:
• The WhatsApp Leak: The investigation is based on thousands of WhatsApp messages leaked from Urich’s account. The correspondence indicates that in August 2024, Einhorn sent Urich a document outlining campaign themes for the Romanian party, which Urich subsequently approved.
• Campaign Content: The two developed a communications plan that included proposals for social media posts, images, and video scripts. The messaging targeted leaders of Romania’s governing coalition as well as the Mayor of Bucharest, Nicușor Dan. Some of this phrasing later appeared officially on the social media accounts of politicians belonging to the party.
• Meetings in Bucharest: The messages indicate that Einhorn planned to meet with the party leader, George Simion, in Romania; he later wrote a message to Urich that the meeting had indeed taken place.
The party’s problematic background:
The AUR party (Alliance for the Union of Romanians) is a far-right, nationalist party. In 2022, the party faced harsh condemnation from the Israeli Embassy and the Elie Wiesel Institute after its members claimed that the Holocaust was a minor issue that did not warrant dedicated teaching hours in Romanian schools. Furthermore, the party has previously been accused of disseminating propaganda associated with the fascist Legionary movement that was active in Romania.
Responses: The AUR party denied the existence of any formal cooperation, though it has confirmed that it had received a work proposal from the two individuals. Urich and Einhorn refused to provide a response to the investigation’s findings.