Khaled Abu Toameh
Gatestone, Feb. 11, 2025
“Any Arab who hears American officials say that Qatar is America’s ally would burst into laughter.”
US President Donald Trump’s recent statements regarding Qatar’s role in reaching the Israel-Hamas ceasefire-hostage deal surprised many, especially those who are familiar with the Gulf state’s longtime support for radical Islamist groups.
“Qatar is absolutely trying to help,” Trump told reporters in Washington. “I know them well, and they’re doing everything they can. Very tough situation, but they’re absolutely trying to help.”
Many other people also know Qatar very well. They know, for example, that Qatar is Hamas’s most important financial backer and foreign ally. Then Qatari ruler Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani was the first state leader to visit the Hamas-ruled Gaza Strip in 2012. Qatar, in addition, has reportedly transferred $1.8 billion to Hamas over the past two decades.
For many years, Qatar hosted several leaders of Hamas, including Khaled Mashaal and Ismail Haniyeh. They lived in hotels and villas in Doha and were treated as heads of state.
After the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attack on Israel, resulting in the murder of 1,200 Israelis, the wounding of thousands others and the kidnapping of more than 250, Qatar’s foreign ministry released a statement holding “Israel alone responsible” for the massacre. ...SOURCE