by Susan Quinn
Currently, President Trump seems to see Qatar as a peace partner in Gaza, but its record of funding terrorism suggests he’s dancing with the Devil.
“We are seriously tired.” This statement comes from a Gaza resident, but it could just as easily have been made by an Israeli. Much blood and treasure have been spent, ceasefires have been negotiated, some, but not all, hostages have been released (both living and dead), and Gaza has been flooded (as always) with aid. Once again, the prospect of a deal seems near. The question now is what type of deal will be reached? And perhaps the even more pressing question is, why is Qatar so prominently involved?
The Israelis require certain conditions: The release of all hostages, whether living or dead, and Hamas may not rule in Gaza. They will not compromise on either of these requirements. The first condition is conceivable, except that Hamas demands that Israel first end the war before it turns over the hostages. But the second requirement leads to complications that could have serious repercussions.
Donald Trump with Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani. Public domain.
President Trump has recommended that a consortium of Arab countries form to govern Gaza, one of which would be Hamas’s friend, Qatar:
If a consortium of Arab countries controls the Gaza Strip, one of those countries is bound to be Qatar. One of Qatar’s main reasons for existing is to make sure that radical Islamic organizations stay active and well-funded. It is hard to think of an Islamist terrorist group that has not been a large beneficiary of Qatar -- from ISIS, to al-Qaeda, to the Taliban, not to mention Hamas.
There were rumors this week that a ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas might ultimately include a consortium of Arab countries taking charge of the Gaza Strip.
Unfortunately, hardly anything could be more dangerous than that for the stability of the region. A consortium of Arab countries governing the tiny strip of land next to Israel is, in fact, is a sure-fire recipe for a monstrous conflict just around the corner. This plan will make all the breathtaking achievements of US President Donald J. Trump, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, the great US Air Force and the Israel Defense Forces be for naught.
So why would Qatar even be considered as a likely member of the consortium? For one, the Qataris have invested billions into U.S. universities. They have also funded organizations that manipulate the student populations at these universities. That makes them popular in certain quarters, but they’ve also funded Hamas:
‘Since Hamas’s deadly attack on October 7, 2023, and throughout the war that broke out in its aftermath, the state of Qatar, its media, and institutions affiliated with it have consistently expressed unreserved support for Hamas and for terror and armed violence against Israel. This support finds expression on all levels, in statements by officials and religious clerics, in the media and in the education system. Despite its ostensible role as a mediator between Hamas and Israel, Qatar, which has for years sheltered Hamas leaders within its borders and funded this organization with billions of dollars, has taken a blatantly pro-Hamas and anti-Israel line. Qatari Shura Council member Essa Al-Nassr said that October 7 was the beginning of the end of the Zionist state, presenting this as a divine promise mentioned in the Quran. He added that there can be no peace with the Jews, because their faith condones ‘depletion, the violation of agreements and lies’ and they are ‘slayers of the prophets.’’
Qatar’s foreign ministry released a statement on October 7, 2023, holding ‘Israel alone responsible’ for Hamas’s massacres. The ministry ignored Hamas’s war crimes and accused Israel of violating international law.
Even Qatar’s Arab neighbors view Qatar as dangerous:
In 2017, [Bahrain, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates] severed ties with Qatar and imposed a sea, land and air blockade on it. They accused Qatar of supporting various terrorist groups and extremist movements, including the Muslim Brotherhood, and demanded the closure of Al-Jazeera.
The surrounding Arab nations only stood down when Qatar committed to stop funding terrorist organizations:
On January 20, 2021, the Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced that it had agreed with Qatar to restore diplomatic relations after a severance of nearly three-and-a-half years. The reestablishing of ties came amid a flurry of regional diplomatic momentum welcoming Qatar back to the Arab fold.
The irony of this settlement is that Egypt, one of the countries in Trump’s recommendation for a consortium, could easily renew smuggling weapons and terrorists into Gaza. It is, after all, a profitable enterprise.
So, why does President Trump consider Qatar a wise choice for a new consortium, in spite of its questionable record? This White House fact sheet offers some insights:
- Qatar has made significant investments in the United States across hotels and tourism, financial services, technology, healthcare, and energy, with plans to invest even more over the next five years. These investments strengthen the U.S. economy by supporting good-paying jobs for millions of American workers, expanding U.S. exports, and funding research and development.
- Qatar has the third largest proven reserves of natural gas in the world, and has invested in American energy infrastructure, directly contributing to U.S. energy security and industrial resilience.
- Starting in 2019, QatarEnergy initiated $18 billion in investments in the U.S. energy sector with ExxonMobil’s Golden Pass LNG Terminal ($10 billion) and Chevron Phillips Chemical’s Golden Triangle Polymers Plant ($8 billion), both located on the Texas Gulf Coast.
Apparently, Qatar, despite its suspicious relationship with Hamas and the Muslim Brotherhood, is regarded as a viable partner for the consortium:
Qatar claims that the money it delivered to Hamas in the Gaza Strip over many years was humanitarian aid, and intended for the civilian population, but evidence suggests that much of the funding has directly benefited Hamas’s political and military structures, already on record as stealing aid.
[snip]
Between 2018 and 2023 alone, Qatar delivered funds, in cash, to Hamas in the Gaza Strip, amounting to $30 million each month. Didier Billion, deputy director of the French Institute for International and Strategic Affairs, said that Qatar’s financial support of $30 million per month is ‘proven and public.’
‘These payments are [purported] to pay civil servants in Gaza, and we know perfectly well that these are members of Hamas. Doha’s money is therefore the equivalent of direct support for this organisation which has held the Palestinian enclave with an iron fist for many years.’
Assuming that Qatar will be a reliable partner in the proposed consortium to govern Hamas is foolish at best, and destined for disaster at worst. Let’s hope that the dollar signs that Trump sees will not blind him to the political reality.
Susan Quinn
Source: https://www.americanthinker.com/articles/2025/07/the_suspicious_qatari_fly_in_the_mideast_peace_ointment.html
No comments:
Post a Comment