Was removed from the negotiations – and returned
On November 9, a little over two months ago, the spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majed Al-Ansari, who has become a familiar face in the past year, announced: “The mediation efforts are on hold, we will resume them with the partners when there is seriousness about ending the war.” At the same time, he clarified that “Qatar will not accept the fact that mediation will be a tool to blackmail it.”
About a month later, on December 10, al-Ansari already sounded different at the press conference he held. “The reason for the suspension of the negotiations in the past was some lack of seriousness, and today we see that new contacts are taking place. We hope that these contacts will lead to a new situation in everything related to the seriousness of the parties to reach a solution,” he said, signaling a reluctance to return to the picture.
Qatar gives asylum to Hamas members
However, even when, from Qatar’s point of view, it took its foot off the gas in mediation, at least in appearance, it did not prevent the leaders of Hamas from continuing to stay in Doha. We cannot ignore the fact that during the 15 months of the war, Hamas leaders take shelter in Doha, Qatar. In other words, the mediating country saw those who committed atrocities against Israel as official guests and provided them with asylum.
Gaza’s money tap
Moreover, Qatar has positioned itself in recent years as a key factor for Hamas. She not only hosts her seniors, but also used to provide them with huge sums – tens of millions of dollars every month. As part of the policy led by the Netanyahu government in 2018, Qatar became a tool for “buying” peace in Gaza, with $30 million entering the Strip.
First, the Qatari grant that entered the Strip every month included 15 million dollars that entered through cash suitcases – which provoked criticism of the mafia. Later, the amount of the Qatari grant increased to $30 million per month and its mechanism changed, so that it was transferred to the families – using a prepaid card with which they redeemed the grant at banks in the Gaza Strip.
The Qatari emissary Muhammad Al-Emadi, who held the official title of “Head of the Committee for the Reconstruction of the Gaza Strip”, was the one who weakened the Qatari financial tap. He used to move on the line between Israel and Gaza, transferred the Qatari grant to Gaza, financed the projects for its rehabilitation – and became a businessman that both sides relied on until the murderous massacre on October 7. In Israel, too, they became addicted to Boss Meduda, to the extent that they saw him as a savior who continued to fulfill his role when governments changed.
Although shortly before October 7, Hamas fueled the clashes on the fence and allowed hundreds of young Gazans to hold riots every night in several points on the border – the Qatari grant entered the Gaza Strip as early as Rosh Hashanah 2023.
Al Jazeera at the service of Hamas
The Qatari television channel, Al Jazeera, played a central role in the war in the service of the Hamas narrative and provided its services to sow psychological warfare and influence public opinion. The Qatari Broadcasting Network published many reports that turned out to be fake news and served Hamas and continuously incited against Israel.
On May 5, the government unanimously approved the closure of the Al Jazeera channel in Israel, 28 years after it was established. Last October, the IDF revealed documents from Hamas and Islamic Jihad that confirmed that 6 journalists active in the Al-Jazeera channel are terrorists in the terrorist organizations.
In addition, the IDF reveals additional documents that indicate close cooperation between Hamas and the channel. Among the findings revealed are a ban on the channel from criticizing the organization, through hiding cases of failed rockets to the establishment of a secure communication line between Hamas and Al Jazeera.