Qatar : a new lifeline for Hamas?

Qatar is the host of the biggest U.S. military base in the Middle East. The Al Udeid Air Base, located in the desert southwest of Doha, accommodates more than 10,000 American troops. The base has been a pivotal hub for the US Central Command’s air operations in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan, Iran, and across the Middle East. Al Udeid has been CENTCOM’s main air base since 2003. In June 2017, the base hosted over 11,000 U.S. and U.S.-led coalition forces and over 100 operational aircraft. Qatar has committed billions of dollars of its own funds to upgrade the facilities for US Airmen at the base. The Gulf State also granted permission for the construction of U.S.-funded facilities on its soil. According to the US National Association of Scholars, Doha has also donated more than $4.7 billion to US colleges and universities between 2001 and 2021. Apart from being an ally of the United States of America, the Persian Gulf state has become the new lifeline of the Palestinian liberation movement. Whether it comes to military aid or ideological support, the Hamas leadership can count on Qatar in its intense battle with Israel.

‘For Hamas, Qatar is its lifeline. It is the hope, the future, and the continuation of the fight to eradicate Israel.’ Gauging the Qatar-Hamas ongoing relationship, Dr. Shaul Yanai, a Middle East and Gulf States expert, noted. ‘There were many examples of antisemitism in Qatar in the last decade, and this trend was reflected especially in the Qatari media. The leadership of Al Thani was aware of the situation, but sometimes the royal house itself should be attributed to the antisemitic approach. Qatar’s curriculum is full of extreme anti-Semitism and thus does not meet the UN’s educational standards on issues of acceptance, peace, and tolerance.’ Dr. Shaul added.

Qatar first opened a channel of communication with Hamas in 2006 at the request of the United States. This relationship strengthened in 2009 when Hamas’s top leader, Khaled Meshaal, was invited to attend the Doha Summit, where he was seated next to the then Qatari Emir Hamad bin Khalifa al-Thani. In 2012, Khaled Meeshal relocated from Syria to Doha. Following in his footsteps, Ismail Haniye, the current chairman of Hamas’s political bureau, has also taken residence in Qatar since 2016. At present, Doha has become a sanctuary for Khalil al-Hayya, head of Hamas’s communications office, and for other senior Hamas leaders. Qatar regularly hands out political, material, and charitable support for Hamas.

Ariel Admoni, a Qatari researcher and PhD candidate at Bar-Ilan University, believes advocating for Hamas is politically beneficial to Qatar because the Palestinian cause draws popular support amongst its citizens at home. ‘Qatar and Hamas are separate entities, and each one has its own interests. Qatar seeks to support influential players in the region, and for that, it supports Hamas. When the support of Hamas will be a burden in the eyes of Doha, they will stop the support.’ Evaluating Qatar’s role as a mediator between Israel and Hamas, Ariel Admoni says, ‘Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, ruler of Qatar, is a player in global geopolitics. Israel and Qatar have been conducting frequent talks on the Gaza issue since 2014. The war between Israel and Hamas—a group indebted to Qatar—has handed Thani an opportunity to attain a profile higher than any other Arab leader in a long time. He is in a unique position to help safely deliver more of the 136 hostages.’

Following the Hamas attack on southern Israel on October 7, 2023, and the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, Qatar has become a key center in global diplomacy. The Persian Gulf country played a vital role in establishing dialogue between Israel and Hamas in November 2023, resulting in a ceasefire and the release of Israeli civilian hostages in return for the release of Palestinian prisoners. It continues to be central in the talks to try to revive hostage negotiations, coordinating with the CIA, Mossad, and Egypt.

Qatar is neither inexperienced nor is its involvement in the Israel-Hamas conflict new. Doha also helped broker ceasefires between Israel and Hamas in 2014, 2021, and 2022. The Gulf State has also been an instrumental channel for U.S. dialogue and has opened a new tab with the Taliban since the chaotic American pullout from Afghanistan in 2021. It played a role in mediating deals in late 2023, which led to some Americans being freed by Venezuela and Iran in prisoner swaps. Qatar has hosted U.S.-Taliban peace talks and other meetings. Doha has helped free Western hostages in Syria and recently negotiated a high-profile prisoner swap between the U.S. and Iran. Qatar has brokered peace agreements on multiple occasions: Lebanon in 2008; Yemen in 2010; Darfur in 2011; and Gaza in 2012.

Qatar is also a key behind-the-scenes partner for Israel. It was one of the first Gulf states (with Oman) to establish official trade ties with Israel in the 1990s. In a recent interview, Qatari Prime Minister al-Thani did not rule out a future peace deal with Israel. Dr. Samir al-Taqi, Director of the Orient Research Center, says, ‘The possibility of new agreements between Qatar and Israel depends on regional and international commitment to advancing the peace process. Qatar has shown readiness for a role in future phases if the peace process gains momentum.’

Solving the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict, Dr. Samir remarks, ‘The ultimate solution lies in returning to the two-state framework, considering the one-state solution's increased complexity post-October 7. Rebuilding a shattered nation will be a time-consuming process crucial for regional security.'

Qatar is one of the world’s largest exporters of natural gas. Its vast oil and natural gas wealth, coupled with its ability to act as a facilitator, allow Qatar to punch above its weight. After hosting the World Cup in 2022 and Asia Cup 2024 Qatar already acquired recognition and prestige.

In June 2017, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Egypt, and Jordan severed diplomatic relations with Qatar. Qatar’s airspace, sea routes, and land border crossing with Saudi Arabia were blocked, leaving the Qatari peninsula almost entirely isolated. But Qatar managed to thrive even under a blockade, and the Saudis realized that the embargo had backfired, so it was lifted.

The writer, Marzia Hashmi Momo, is a Journalist