When it comes to mediating the war between Israel and Hamas, Qatar has a key role to play. The country has close contacts with militant Islamists. His foreign policy does not only follow ideological aspects.
A small emirate in a big role: the media around the world reports on Qatar. The release of some hostages – brokered by Qatar. The opening of the border to Egypt for foreigners, dual nationals and injured people – allegedly also orchestrated by Qatar, among others.
Qatar has contacts with all sides and is trying to mediate. And the emirate doesn’t keep it a secret, on the contrary: “Our goal is that all civilian hostages are released.”, said the Qatari chief negotiator of the mediation talks, Mohammed al Khulaifi, speaking to Sky News a few days ago.
Since day one, the emirate has been receiving “calls from governments around the world asking for our involvement.” The task is not easy, “but we are working with all our strength and all our possibilities to achieve this goal.”
Israel praises Qatar’s efforts
Even the Israelis – aware of Qatar’s supposed proximity to the militant Islamist Hamas – see how important Qatar is: Israeli security advisor Tzachi Hanegbi comments that Doha’s diplomatic efforts are “crucial.” And US Secretary of State Anthony Blinken expressly praised Qatar’s efforts after the hostages were released.
Before the crisis, Qatar was considered one of the closest supporters of Hamas’s political wing: Qatar has reportedly brought $2.1 billion to the Gaza Strip so far.
Qatar co-financed Hamas, notes Middle East expert James Dorsey, and sent money to the Gaza Strip several times, primarily to finance the salaries of state employees associated with Hamas. “But this was done with the knowledge of the Israelis and was supported in part by Israel because it allowed Israel to control where the money went – exclusively to the political wing of Hamas,” Dorsey said.
US Secretary of State Blinken’s first trip after the Hamas terrorist attack on Israel took him to, among other places, Sheikh al Thani in Qatar.
Money only for salaries and state infrastructure?
Israel reportedly justified the money a few years agogewould be used to alleviate the humanitarian crisis in the Gaza Strip. Political scientist Mustafa Kamal al-Sayyed from Cairo University describes it similarly. The money from Qatar was not used to buy weapons, but to pay salaries and run hospitals and schools. After all, Hamas has been in charge of the administration in Gaza for years.
But can it be certain that Qatar’s financial aid did not also help finance Hamas’s military wing? Has Qatar strengthened terrorists in the past?
Qatar vehemently denies this and rejects any military support for Hamas. But Qatar not only supported the Gaza Strip with financial and material resources, but also gave the political Hamas a home: high-ranking Hamas representatives live in Doha, and Hamas itself has had an office in Doha since 2012.
Foreign policy with “contradictions”
Qatar has long had a reputation for protecting Islamist groups in the Middle East. For decades, Doha has supported the Islamist Muslim Brotherhood, from which Hamas emerged as an offshoot. The militant Islamist Taliban from Afghanistan also has an office in Qatar.
Qatar is therefore good at mediating in conflicts: Qatar’s diplomatic initiative secured an agreement between the USA and the Taliban in 2020.
Why does Qatar support Islamist groups? There may be a certain ideological closeness behind this, say observers. Above all, however, it is apparently about influence in the region. Qatar maintains relationships with countries and groups that are not liked by the others, says Middle East expert Dorsey. That makes Qatar a mediator.
Political scientist al Sayyed believes that despite all of Qatar’s sympathies for Islamist movements, it primarily wants to have good relations with everyone, with the Taliban, Hamas and the USA: “That is the contradictory part of Qatar’s foreign policy – the good relations with everyone go as far as that enemy countries are also supported.”
The goal: “Prestige and recognition”
The Qatari interest behind it: regional and supra-regional influence. The small emirate, just half the size of Hesse, is striving for greater importance on the world political stage, wants to be taken seriously and be important. Last year’s World Cup was also primarily an opportunity for Qatar to become known.
“Qatar wants prestige, recognition. And that’s why it pursues a zero-problem foreign policy – no problems, no matter which country. And that means Qatar is accepted as a mediator,” emphasizes al Sayyed.
Need for security
But behind this lies not only the desire for recognition, but also a need for security. This form of foreign policy, Dorsey states, is “a question of national security” for the emirate.
Dorsey points out that Qatar just Has 300,000 Qatari residents. “This small country cannot defend itself. Its defense strategy is soft power – as an intermediary, with sporting events, gas exports, culture, as a transit hub – all of these things lead to the hope that the international community will take an interest in Qatar if it does sometimes a crisis arises.”
Economic and political wires to Israel
Even though Qatar has so far refused to normalize relations with Israel, Doha does maintain contacts with Israel. Israel opened a commercial agency in Qatar in 1996, which was later closed again. Nevertheless, there are economic connections – and also political contacts. This was also evident at the World Cup last year: Israeli fans traveled to Doha and direct flights were set up from Tel Aviv.
Qatar has good relations with the US, which is seen as its closest ally – the US operates the largest US military base in the Middle East in Qatar.
In the face of Hamas terror, Qatar is now under pressure: sharp criticism of the emirate is being voiced, especially from conservative circles in the USA. Qatar is facing a reckoning, writes the US magazine “Atlantic”. Critics are already calling for US policy on Qatar to be reconsidered.
Thinking about Hamas? Maybe later
Qatar is therefore making every effort to distance itself from Hamas without breaking off contacts. Doha is concerned that its own reputation and international standing could be diminished by the recent Middle East conflict.
However, Qatar refuses to close Hamas’s office in Doha, citing diplomatic efforts. However, the ruling family in Doha has agreed to reconsider its hospitality to Hamas after the current crisis has been resolved, according to US diplomats.
How to convey?
But perhaps the negotiators from Doha are the only ones who can still influence Hamas, observers say. But the Qatari chief negotiator himself admits that the challenge is huge.
Mediating between two parties who have “absolutely zero mutual trust” is “the most difficult mediation” of all. It would then be very difficult to have indirect conversations between the sides. “And because the violence is increasing every day, our task is becoming even more difficult,” said Mohammed al Khulaifi.
When the Willingness to talk increases
Middle East expert Dorsey asks “whether anyone can mediate here at all.” The conflict is being driven by so many emotions that it not only requires a good mediator, but also pressure.
“In any conflict you can only achieve a ceasefire, a de-escalation, if the price of not participating becomes too high for both sides. And at the moment the price here is not too high for either side. That’s why there is no foundation on which to mediate “Mediation is always determined by the means that are available.”
Qatar is practicing the tightrope act – maintaining balance with all sides and not antagonizing anyone. The rulers of the Gulf have definitely achieved their goal of becoming more important and better known internationally, and every diplomatic success report, no matter how small, is a triumph for Qatar.