Qatar Appalled by “Israeli” PM’s Criticism of Its Mediation Efforts in Gaza War

By Staff, Agencies

Qatar has condemned "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent remarks on Doha’s mediation role in the Gaza war, saying his comments are detrimental to mediation efforts in the besieged enclave.

Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Majed al-Ansari, made the remarks in a post on X on Thursday, after a leaked recording captured Netanyahu calling the Gulf state "problematic".

"We are appalled by the alleged remarks attributed to the ‘Israeli’ Prime Minister in various media reports about Qatar's mediation role," Ansari said.

"If the reported remarks are found to be true, the ‘Israeli’ PM would only be obstructing and undermining the mediation process, for reasons that appear to serve his political career instead of prioritizing saving innocent lives, including ‘Israeli’ hostages," he added.

The Qatari spokesman further expressed hope that Netanyahu decides to “operate in good faith and concentrate” on the release of the captives, “instead of concerning himself with Qatar's strategic relations with the United States.”

In a leaked recording from a meeting with families of captives that aired on "Israel's" Channel 12 news on Tuesday, Netanyahu called Qatar "problematic".

"You haven't seen me thank Qatar, have you noticed? I haven't thanked Qatar. Why? Because Qatar, to me, is no different in essence from the UN, from the Red Cross and in a way it's even more problematic,” Netanyahu said.

However, he added, he is willing to use any mediator who can help bring the captives home.

The “Israeli” premier further accused Qatar of financing the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas, adding that he “got very angry with the Americans” for renewing a deal to extend US military presence at a base in the Gulf state.

Qatar played a key role in mediation efforts and helped secure a week-long ceasefire in Gaza that ended on December 1 and allowed Palestinian resistance groups and the “Israeli” regime to exchange captives and prisoners while enabling international organizations to deliver badly-needed humanitarian aid to the coastal sliver.

The “Israeli” entity waged the war on Gaza on October 7 after the Palestinian resistance movement Hamas carried out the surprise Operation Al-Aqsa Flood against the occupying entity in response to the “Israeli” regime’s atrocities against Palestinians.

Since the start of the aggression, the apartheid “Israeli” entity has killed more than 25,700 Palestinians, mostly women and children.