Bezalel Smotrich, Israel’s Finance Minister and leader of the Religious Zionist Party, declares that Qatar should be considered an “enemy state” that funds Hamas, damages Israel’s image in the world and should be excluded from all negotiations.
According to Smotrich, who is one of the most hardline right-wing and Zionist voices in the Israeli government, it is a “grave mistake” that Qatar is still allowed to participate in the negotiations for the release of Israeli hostages captured by Hamas on October 7 last year.
“Qatar is an enemy state that supports Hamas and backs its positions in the negotiations, aiming to prevent us from destroying it. Qatar owns Al Jazeera and severely damages Israel’s image globally, harming our struggle for survival”, the minister writes on X.
According to Smotrich, the only way to get the remaining hostages back is for Hamas to surrender and for Israel to “continue with the military pressure that our heroic soldiers are currently exerting in the north of the Gaza Strip”.
המשך העירוב של קטאר במו”מ להשבת החטופים הוא טעות קשה. אני מצר מאוד על החלטת ראש הממשלה לאשר את נסיעתו של ראש המוסד למו”מ עם קטאר. קטאר היא מדינת אויב שתומכת בחמאס ומגבה את עמדותיו במו”מ ומטרתה היא למנוע מאיתנו להשמיד אותו. קטאר מחזיקה את אל-ג’זירה ופוגעת אנושות בתדמיתה של ישראל…
— בצלאל סמוטריץ’ (@bezalelsm) October 24, 2024
Mossad director travels to Qatar
Qatar has been described by several analysts as one of Hamas’ biggest funders and several Hamas representatives have periodically traveled to Qatar to escape Israeli assassination attempts.
The Qatari government has not commented on Mr. Smotrich’s remarks, but the country’s leaders have previously condemned similar statements and rejected any accusations that they are trying to prevent the release of hostages.
Next Sunday, Mossad director David Barnea is expected to travel to Qatar to discuss the possibility of resuming negotiations on the captured Israelis. Qatar is believed to have played a central role in the exchange of hundreds of prisoners last November.