DOHA, Qatar – Quite a few Israelis didn’t understand why I was interested in visiting Doha, the Qatari capital, to hold in-depth interviews and conversations with the heads of this small but powerful Muslim country. Public opinion research shows that Israelis have two main conceptions about Qatar:
1. The Qataris host Hamas leaders in Doha, and
2. They send suitcases of cash to Gaza.
The oil rich Gulf state is known for soccer after winning the first-ever World Cup in the Arab world.
They have also earned a reputation as mediators in some of the most challenging conflicts around the globe and for their ability to bring home hostages: Americans held in Venezuela, Iran and North Korea, and to repatriate Ukrainian children kidnapped by Russian forces.
But despite their deeds and enormous resources, the world has yet to properly understand their story.
Telling that story, however, isn’t my business. As an Israeli journalist, I wanted to know precisely how they intend to help us get back all of the remaining 134 hostages, and I wanted to understand why they are hosting Hamas and funding the terrorist group in Gaza, as many of my colleagues and friends have been asking.
“Qatar is crucial for Israel’s security and existence”
Before going on this journey to a country with which Israel has no official relations, I consulted many foreign diplomats and Israeli officials who have a deeper understanding of the region.
“They are one of the good guys,” a senior American diplomatic source told me while still in Israel. “There are only a handful of countries in the world that the US sees as its true ally, with 100% faith: Qatar is one of them,” he said. “Qatar is crucial for Israel’s security and existence,” he determined: “Israel won’t be able to survive without cooperating with Qatar.”
During almost three full days in Doha, the most senior Qatari government and business leaders tried to explain why they are actually “the good guys.”
In the heart of Doha, conversations with senior Qatari officials reveal a multifaceted view of their country’s role in the region, diverging notably from the often-critical external perception. They describe Qatar as not just another player in Middle Eastern politics but as a proactive facilitator of regional stability and global security.
“Qatar and Israel are very similar”
Just hours after landing in Doha, I had a three-hour conversation after sundown with a senior official at a family camping site in the desert, about a 40-minute drive from the capital. It is difficult to explain this backdrop in words. However, it resembled a movie site more than a desert retreat.
In one of the larger tents where other guests were waiting, I was offered various hot drinks and food. There are showers, bathrooms, a dining area, a volleyball court for the children, and many other smaller tents.
We spoke about Israel, Hamas, the Palestinian Authority, and the future of the Middle East. I was blown away by the man’s knowledge about Israel and personal acquaintances with Israel’s previous heads of security agencies. “Qatar and Israel are very similar,” the source said. Israel is under immediate threat, but so are we, as small countries with significant resources and complicated neighborhoods.”
All of the senior Qatari officials who spoke with The Jerusalem Post explained that since there are no official relations between the two countries, Qatar has been operating strategically by creating and securing tight relationships with heads of all relevant Israeli intelligence organizations and institutions, refraining from closeness to its politically elected figures.
WHILE WATCHING a soccer match on a large plasma screen in his beautiful tent, the senior official explained that Qatar is more beneficial for Israel at this time by not normalizing its relations with the Jewish state. He explained that by being in relationships with all of the Middle Eastern players and financially invested in many of them, they could use their leverage to promote the hostage deal and other essential issues that are under discussion.
The country envisions itself as a mediator, actively contributing to global and regional peace efforts. This self-perception contrasts sharply with the skepticism and suspicion that often colors international views of Doha’s actions in the Middle East.
Qatar is a gorgeous country. Its buildings are modern and designed down to the tiniest detail. Its excellent public transportation and organized streets, highways, and parking lots make it convenient for people from all backgrounds. Though I donned my kippah (skullcap) in every meeting, I refrained from doing so outside, but that was my decision.
The next day, I was allowed entrance to the government headquarters in Doha, in a restricted area. I met a senior security official within the Qatari government, who is also involved in the hostage and ceasefire negotiations.
He assured us that though Hamas has declined to accept the current deal, “the ball is rolling,” and that the Americans have made it clear to Hamas that though it refrained from vetoing a motion against Israel at the United Nations Security Council, it “is interested in an immediate deal which would release all of the hostages as well as a ceasefire.”
“Qatar’s role in stabilizing the Middle East”
Many of the Qatari officials I have met reiterated the following mantra: “Qatar's role is important for the stability of Israel and the region.” The exact answers also occurred when asked if this was the case and why they hadn’t normalized their relations with Israel. “We have a strong strategic relationship evident by the close coordination between security apparatuses; not with normalization, since we are more valuable to Israel in this way.”
“Israel asked for humanitarian support to Gaza”
During another three-hour interview, one of the ministers, who deals with security issues, explained: “I’ve been in touch with all of the heads of Mossad, Shin Bet, and COGAT for the past decade.” According to this minister, though former prime minister Naftali Bennett spoke out against transferring Qatari funds to Gaza, the funds continued after a short halt from Qatar’s side as a response to Bennett.
Then, after the situation in Gaza began to deteriorate, a meeting took place in Jerusalem, according to the minister, between representatives of Qatar, Israel, the US, and the United Nations in July 2021. “Israel told us that they want to continue the humanitarian support program of $100 monthly for [each of] the poorest families in Gaza.” Israel supplied the list of Gazans to receive the payment; the funds were immediately returned, and the UN distributed them.
The minister also highlighted the fact that 16,000 Israelis attended the 2022 FIFA World Cup games in Qatar. “There was increased cooperation between our two countries, while then director-general of the Israeli Foreign Affairs Ministry Alon Ushpiz “agreed to elevate the cooperation,” including discussions of the “maritime border with Lebanon.”
The meetings I held in Doha were rare and fascinating. Many interviewees know Israel well, probably better than Western diplomats, which was surprising.
Many question marks remain: If they are so optimistic about creating a new and normalized Middle East with all of the moderate countries, why are they allowing Al Jazeera, their official news channel, to report lies about Israel and Jews while ignoring the terrible October 7 massacre by Hamas?
There is also the issue of how Qatari funds influence American universities, where the real problem is very different than what most of Qatar’s haters think it is: it is the influence of American academics who spend many years in Qatar and therefore will teach Middle Eastern studies from a very Muslim focused lens, making it usually anti-Israeli.
Doha’s Education City has brought Western influence to higher education in the Gulf nation. That said, I can find many flaws and problematic behaviors of Jordanians and Egyptians, who aren’t the ideal neighboring countries and who incite against Jews and Israelis daily.
The officials in Doha present a perspective where Qatar’s actions, whether as a mediator, a humanitarian aid provider or a host to controversial figures, align with a broader objective of fostering peace and stability, and challenge the common narratives and misconceptions about their role in Middle Eastern politics.
“Gaza aid and hosting Hamas: not our idea”
All of the Qatari officials underscored that the humanitarian aid and financial support to Gaza, commonly misinterpreted, were in fact actions taken at the request of the Israeli and US governments. This aid was targeted specifically at the poorest families in the Strip, with Qatar meticulously transferring funds to recipients listed by COGAT.
Further, the hosting of Hamas leaders in Doha, a contentious issue, was disclosed as a strategic decision also made at the request of the United States.
According to these officials, this move was aimed at fostering dialogue and oversight rather than supporting the group’s ideologies or actions.
But if Qatar wants Israel and the Jewish community to accept it, they also have to publicly take Israel’s side. They cannot publicly claim that Israel is performing genocide against the Palestinian people when they know that this isn’t true. Al Jazeera cannot broadcast lies about Israel and the Jewish people without being accounted for.
In addition, the Qatari public, as well as the Israeli one, needs to learn more about the other side. Otherwise, we will all be ignorant and uneducated about what is happening in the Middle East.
We live in a complicated and sensitive region. Therefore, we need to judge our neighbors according to the complexity of the situation while not risking our security, but we also need to understand that things aren’t black or white. We will continue to seek dialogue and learn about our neighbors, so that our readers can make decisions based on information and facts rather than populistic opinions and trends.