A political office of Hamas was opened in Qatar in 2012. Qatar believes that the openness of communication channels is the only way to resolve the conflict between Hamas and Israel.
While thousands of Palestinian civilians are dying in Gaza, Hamas leaders are in Qatar, one of the richest countries in the world.
When Hamas launched its attack on Israel on October 7, a video circulated on social media showing Hamas leaders watching Al-Jazeera’s broadcast of the events in a plush office in Doha, the capital of Qatar.
In the video, the leader of Hamas Isma’il Haniyya and other leaders of the organization seem to be happy – they knelt down to thank Allah for the success of the operation.
Hamas got rich from the smuggling business
Many Palestinians have criticized Hamas for allowing its leaders to live at large in Qatar, far from the suffering in Gaza.
The oil-enriched monarchy therefore provides a safe haven for the leaders of the terrorist group. In addition, Israel has accused Qatar of enabling the spread of Hamas propaganda with the help of the Qatari news agency Al-Jazeera.
When Haniyya was appointed prime minister of the Palestinian Authority in 2006, his wealth grew rapidly as he and other Hamas ministers controlled Gaza’s economy. An Israeli newspaper The Times of Israel According to the report, Hamas leaders have levied a 20 percent tax on all contraband trade that takes place through underground tunnels in the Gaza Strip.
According to the Times of Israel, the smuggling market has made nearly two thousand high-ranking Hamas officials millionaires.
According to the Egyptian newspaper Rose al-Yusuf, Haniyeh bought a plot of land in Gaza for four million dollars and registered it in the name of her son-in-law. Since then, Haniyya has bought several apartments, villas and other buildings in the Gaza Strip, which are registered in the names of her children.
The wealth amassed by Haniyya and other Hamas leaders is in stark contrast to the standard of living of Palestinians: the per capita GDP of residents of the Gaza Strip in 2021 was about $5,600 per year, making it one of the poorest places in the world.
Qatar believes that the openness of communication channels is a solution to conflicts
Hamas Political Bureau opened in Qatar in 2012 in cooperation with the United States. According to the news agency Bloomberg, the office has been used in the mediation efforts of several US administrations to stabilize the situation in Gaza and Israel.
Qatar has also supported the Palestinian territories for years with billions of dollars.
Due to the situation that escalated into a war between Israel and Hamas, Qatar has been criticized for allowing Hamas to be present in the country. Prime Minister of Qatar Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani has defended himself by saying that the Hamas office in Doha is a way to “communicate and bring peace and tranquility to the region”.
Middle East Policy Specialist at the University of Ottawa Thomas Juneau reported the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation In an interview with CBCthat Qatar’s foreign policy, identity and country brand are based on the idea that it is ready to talk to everyone.
– Qatar talks to the Taliban, Hamas, Libyan rebels and so on, Juneau said.
In 2013, the Taliban opened its own office in Qatar of the then President of the United States Barack Obama’s with a blessing. In 2020, the United States and the Taliban held talks in Qatar about the US withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Qatar’s embassy in Canada told the CBC it believes “the only way to achieve a peaceful and immediate resolution to this crisis is to keep all channels of communication open with all parties, and that resolving the crisis requires continued and close cooperation.”
Qatar has engaged in behind-the-scenes diplomacy, saying it is negotiating with Hamas to release Israeli hostages. Just two days after the conflict began, Qatar announced it would mediate between Hamas and Israel.
– We are currently in constant contact with all parties. “Our primary objectives are to stop the bloodshed, release the hostages and ensure that the conflict is brought under control without spreading regionally,” said a spokesman for Qatar’s foreign ministry. Majed Al-Ansari news agency Reuters on October 9.