A senior Qatari official has denied that Doha is financially supporting Hamas and its efforts in Gaza, assertions made by a growing number of Israeli officials.
In an interview with CNN’s Becky Anderson that aired yesterday, Foreign Minister Dr. Khalid Al Attiyah said, “Qatar does not support Hamas, Qatar supports the Palestinians.”
His response came after Israel’s economics minister Naftali Bennett this week said Qatar should lose the 2022 World Cup for funding “radical Islam(ic) terror.”
Israel has also insinuated that a peace deal proposed by US Secretary of State John Kerry was soft on Hamas in part because of Qatar’s influence.
The discontent follows Israeli officials’ discomfort at Qatar’s involvement in negotiation efforts during this latest crisis, in which more than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed.
Israel prefers to deal with Egypt, which had proposed a ceasefire weeks ago that Hamas rejected because they said they were not invited to the negotiation table.
Hamas questions
Qatar is home base to Hamas political bureau chief Khaled Meshaal, but Al Attiyah denied that his government was funding the building of the rockets sent by Hamas into Israel.
However, he added that Hamas was democratically elected by the people of Gaza in 2006, and that Israel had a chance to appeal to the pragmatic side of the party, but failed to do so.
Al Attiyah also accused Israel of practicing terrorism, referencing the hundreds of Palestinians, including women and children, killed in the country’s latest military operation.
When asked where Hamas was getting the money to fund its rockets, the FM suggested Anderson ask the political party itself.
In regards to the half billion dollars Qatar pledged in 2012 to help rebuild Gaza’s schools, hospitals and roads, Al Attiyah pointed out that the work was being conducted with Fatah contractors.
Fatah is the political party of Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and it and Hamas were in talks to form a unity government before the latest bombing campaign began.
Some analysts have said that Israel began the bombing campaign in part to derail these talks.
Thoughts?
Note: This article has been corrected to reflect that Al Attiyah is the foreign minister, and not the prime minister, of Qatar.
Israel is effectively bombing a large refuge camp and are themselves terrorists with just better weapons.
However their statement that Qatar funds Hamas is not so remarkable. Qatar funded Islamic groups in Egypt, Libya, Iraq and Syria to name a few and look how that turned out. Broken countries and in two at least an upsurge in religious violence manly Muslim against Muslim and the final ethnic cleansing of Christians from the Middle East.
A thousand people dead in Gaza is tragic and a crime against humanity but the 100,000 or 200,000 dead in Syria is what? ISIS in Syria and Iraq engaging in mass murder, (at least tens of thousands) and oppressing whole populations in the name of Islam is what?
I look around this region and I see no hope. Religious crazies and include Israel in that engaging in mass murder and gulf states funding much of it. Sad, sad, sad.
Just asking, but when did Qatar fund ISIS? I heard they were supported by some in Saudia, which makes sense.
And Iraq being broken is on the U.S., not Qatar.
Iraq was certainly broken by the Americans, but it is now a proxy war between Iran on one side, Qatar, Saudi and Kuwait on the other. Qatar pumped money into Syria favouring certain religious groups opposed to Assad some of which found its way to Isis which has its own agenda. Now they are in Iraq.
I think Qatar does not deserve WC2022 for different reasons….
but coming from Israel, I say also that Israel should not be playing in EUFA…after all South Africa was not allowed to play in international tournaments because of Apartheid, then why the Apartheid Israel applies methodically is allowed and not condemned?
ISRAHELL
Firstly, I congratulate the FM of Qatar for his praiseworthy
firm statement which is very lucid to any decent mind at the interview with
CNN.
Furthermore, it’s a fact that when a tyrant opens for dialog
he brings with him tons of allegations without any evidence whatsoever, so that
he confuses the masses and keep the victims busy in defending himself rather
than presenting facts of humongous terrorism committed by the jews.
They are indeed, best at this (deceiving the world).
Exactly, another smokescreen to take the eyes off the occupation, apartheid and ethnic cleansing being carried out
I do feel horrified to see what is going on, but, if I’m honest, I find it very hard to sympathise with supposedly intelligent humans killing each other, simply because they cannot make opinions meet about their supposed ‘God’.
Israelis elected their Government, as have the Palestinians, and both seem bent on destroying the other. What can anyone do when both populations maintain this ferocious hatred of the other?
I don’t even think it’s about religion on both sides, I don’t think people look at netanyahu and think, there’s a good Jew, there’s a pious God fearing man. Zionism and Judaism are completely separate, and apparently humanity and zionism are separate. It looks to be just like a slow, protracted genocide until Israel has all the land, but for now, the Palestinians aren’t complying.
Good comment, words of wisdom Mr James, then I looked at your profile picture and had a bit of a laugh!
It’s all about religion. Israel proclaims itself as a Jewish state, Hamas is an Islamic organisation. Palestinians and Israelis both claim jerusalem on tenuous religious grounds.
If there was no religion Jews wouldn’t want they own state and if it wasn’t for the Arab Muslim conquests of the levant various religious extremists groups like Hamas, Hezbollah wouldn’t exist either.
no sorry! it is not about religion, it’s about power. And it is about that Europe sent them away. You might have forgotten that when Palestine was all populated with Arab Muslims, Jews and Christians it was then a peaceful place. And when these European Jews arrived they were welcomed. All those Europeans coming from Eastern Europe did not really know what democracy was. Deep down it is about getting a place and smashing the others, doesn’t matter how. And to find always an excuse to do some genocide. They always been mistreated and look what they do to others. Gaza is the biggest ghetto in the world…..when you don’t give them rights, when the international community, who is responsible for what’s happening, does nothing, than armed groups are born. In this case it is called “resistance” when your houses are taken, you are not allowed to circulate freely as as person, your family is killed, when they have put you inside an area surrounded by a wall or wire fence. Those who were the victims decades ago, have turned into today’s torturers. Give them rights, give them a fair resolution and maybe finally these 2 countries might start living side by side without wars. No human rights, but abuse and this is what you get…the Israelis are great in brainwashing others!
The key word you’re missing there is occupation.
That’s a fair point. The Israeli’s are very clearly the aggressor here, but Hamas are not helping the people they represent with what is basically futile and pointless cross-border rocket fire.
It could all be solved if the Palestinians had their own homeland and freedom to govern as an independent country
Indeed Abdulrahman is absolutely correct and spot on! ‘OCCUPATION, WAR CRIMES and MURDER’
The war started for the occupation and this is what people from all over the world must firstly ACCEPT and ADDRESS this issue to bring any peace. And not repeatedly try to eye wash the public with accusations of religious wars. Adding to it, there should never be a but in it or to it.
Why are they denying the accusation only now? The US Government has been saying that Qatar openly provides financial support for Hamas for months. http://www.treasury.gov/press-center/press-releases/Pages/jl2308.aspx
What is the meaning of Israel’s economics minister Naftali Bennett this week said Qatar should lose the 2022 World Cup for funding “radical Islam(ic) terror.” Any body can explain ?????
No body can explain the meaning of terrorism. Because terrorist groups are telling that they are doing :Jihad”
Qatar says that they are funding for rebuild Gaza infrastructure.
There are some groups working in Pakistan, gets fund from Middle East countries to kill innocent women and children of India and to destroy Indian Economy.
These are naked truths which every body knows. The supporters can argue in every manner.
They can kill, can’t destroy.
“Israel has also insinuated that a peace deal proposed by US Secretary of State John Kerry was soft on Hamas in part because of Qatar’s influence.” I had no idea Qatar has such power!
I came in Qatar, 35 years before. That Qatar is no more. This is new Qatar, the richest country in the world, against their GDP, which is going up day by day. 95% of infrastructure had been changed. What they spent in the last 200 years, more than the double amount spent in last 20 years, still continuing.
Most of the world wide events are conducting in Qatar and searching for up coming events. Middlemen and negotiator for almost all disputes and donates for infrastructure in MENA region
I am closely watching Qatar Economy & progress since last 35 years and very proud in their performance. Also proud to be a part of the progress with my contribution.
Money buys influence!
Come now, U.S. is being soft on Hamas because of Qatar? What about Saudia, Egypt, and the UAE? They don’t like Hamas, I find it hard to believe that Qatar has more power than they, and Israel do.
More likely explanation is that the U.S. can see that Israel will not get the decisive win it’s been seeking, and realizes all the damage being done to their image by all the civilians Israel has killed.
Israel is running scared because they are not used to losing so many soldiers in one of their regularly scheduled Gaza’s culling of the herd. Also, the move by the U.S. Civil Aviation Authority to stop all flights to Israel for fear of being hit by a rocket has hit them really hard.
It’s been deemed ‘safe’ now to fly into Tel Aviv…..although wouldn’t like to be on a flight in case someone with a rocket launcher makes a mistake. Seems the flights are restarting due to political pressure. Hopefully some more innocent passengers and flight crew don’t pay the ultimate price just to appease others. Guess if Tel Aviv safe, won’t be long until flying over Syria, Iraq and Ukraine again.
The west should bring Israel to its knees through economic sanctions. Israel cannot exist without outside support. Until the murder stops and they come to an agreement with the Palestinians no more trade, aid or military equipment.
Only this will bring Israel to the negotiating table, knowing they have to teach a compromise.
Gulf Arab states should also put pressure on the Palestinians to compromise as well. They have to face the reality that Israel is going no where and fighting them through Palestinians lives is not an honourable thing.
The Arab Peace Initiative that was approved by all Arab nations in 2007 offered Israel normal relations with all Arab states in exchange for a return to the 67 borders. Israel has shown no interest.
Only one country currently has the power to bring Israel to its knees; the U.S. If the U.S. were to simply withdraw its support for Israel, and allow the U.N. security council to pass resolutions against Israel’s continued occupation, this whole thing would end in a year or so.
I totally agree with you. The 67 borders was a fair deal, more land than they got in 48.
I totally agree on the US as well. European sanctions would hurt but only America could bring about real change. I see them as complicit in the murders of Palestinians.