What did the Israeli PM say that made Qatar angry?
Qatar has said that it is ‘surprised’ by a statement allegedly made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Israeli PM say : Netanyahu had reportedly called Qatar’s mediation in the three-month-long war between Israel and Hamas as ‘questionable’.
According to reports, a recording was broadcast on Israeli television. It was reported that while talking to the families of hostages held by Hamas, Netanyahu had said, “You will not hear me thanking Qatar.”
He reportedly added, “They are in an advantageous position because they provide them (Hamas) with financial support.”
Qatar has reacted to Netanyahu’s comment and said that if this statement is true then it is “irresponsible” but “not shocking.”
Israeli PM say & Qatar’s relations with Israel and Hamas
Qatar, a small Gulf country, has been maintaining relations with Israel since the 1990s.
However, it has not yet officially established diplomatic relations with Israel.
Qatar has been supporting the rights of Palestinians for a long time. While Israel, UK, America and many other countries consider the Palestinian extremist organization Hasam as a terrorist group, they have given place to the leaders of Hamas in their countries.
Qatar has also been providing millions of dollars of financial aid to Gaza. After Hamas won the elections in Gaza in 2006, Israel and Egypt imposed various restrictions on Gaza, which had a serious economic impact on the people there.
After this, these restrictions were further tightened when Hamas further strengthened its power by forcibly expelling the Palestinian Authority from Gaza.
After this, from 2018, the Israeli governments allowed Qatar to pay the salaries of thousands of officials of the Hamas-run government in Gaza.
Provide financial assistance to the poor families living in Gaza and arrange the necessary funds to purchase oil for the only power plant in the area.
Qatar has always maintained that the financial aid given to Gaza is only for civil and humanitarian purposes.
However, Israeli policy regarding Qatar’s aid to Gaza was strongly criticized within Israel.
Critics said that Qatar is helping Hamas keep it in power and is also funding its military activities.
But Benjamin Netanyahu, who has been in power in Israel continuously for the last 15 years (Naftali Bennett and Yair Lapid were PM for some time in between), said that this was to stop any kind of attack on Israel and to prevent humanitarian crisis in Gaza. Was to allow it to grow.
But on October 7 last year, Hamas attacked Israel from the Gaza border. About 1,300 Israeli civilians were killed in this attack and about 250 Israelis were taken hostage by Hamas fighters to Gaza.
After this attack, Netanyahu completely rejected the fact that he allowed the Palestinian Authority to exit Gaza and strengthened the hands of Hamas by approving financial aid for Gaza. He termed these claims as a “big lie” .
Israel responded strongly to Hamas’ attack. With the aim of eliminating Hamas, it started first air and then ground operations in Gaza.
After this, Qatar, with the help of its relations with Hamas, brokered a temporary ceasefire between the two sides. This ceasefire remained in force for almost a week. Meanwhile, in exchange for the release of 240 Palestinians imprisoned in Israeli jails, 105 Israeli hostages and foreign citizens held by Hamas were freed.
Since then, Qatar is once again trying to broker a ceasefire between the two, but till now it has not been successful.
Meanwhile, on one hand, the humanitarian crisis in Gaza is becoming increasingly serious, while on the other hand, pressure is increasing within Israel on the government to release the remaining hostages.
What did Netanyahu say?
On Tuesday, Israel’s Channel 12 TV aired a recording of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu purportedly telling the families of hostages, “You haven’t heard me thanking Qatar. Have you ever noticed?”
“Why? Because to me they are no different from the United Nations or the Red Cross, and in some ways they are more suspect – I have no doubts about that. But I am also open to using any other person or group , who will help me free the hostages.”
Israel has accused the United Nations and the Red Cross of not doing much to help or free the hostages.
The prime minister reportedly said Qatar was able to help in the matter because it was “taking advantage” of its relationship with Hamas.
“And why is he able to take advantage of their relationship with him? Because he gives them financial support.”
Qatar’s response
On Wednesday night, Qatar’s Foreign Minister Majid al-Ansari wrote on the social media platform
If you do not know, then something like this was written in it that they had written that last year there was a fruitful dialogue between some two parties to help Qatar, after which they agreed to release more than 100 hostages. ordered from above. Since then, for several months, Qatar has been continuously talking to all parties, including Israeli institutions. “Qatar is trying to reach a framework for the release of hostages and immediate humanitarian relief in Gaza.”
He said that “it seems that to save his political career” Netanyahu is playing down the mediation efforts.
In response, Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote on social media: “Qatar is a country that supports and finances terrorism. It is the patron of Hamas and is largely responsible for Hamas’s attacks on Israeli civilians.” Is.”
He wrote, “One thing is clear. Qatar would not have had even the slightest involvement in Gaza since the war started.”
Popeye’s Epic 95th Birthday Bash: From the Spinach Seas to Official National Day
Qatar’s Foreign Ministry has not yet given any reaction on this.
Meanwhile, BBC affiliate CBS in the US has confirmed that US President Joe Biden has asked CIA Director William Burns to explore the possibility of a new ceasefire with the aim of freeing the remaining Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. Going to leave soon.
William Burns will reach France when he will meet the Prime Minister of Qatar and officials of the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad.