Bennett vows again to declare Qatar ‘an enemy’ if re-elected as Israeli PM
Former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett has reiterated his pledge to declare Qatar “an enemy” if elected once again as the prime minister of the occupying regime later this year.
Bennett, who is running in the October Israeli Knesset (Parliament) election as the head of the Together alliance, made the remarks in an interview with Channel 12 TV on Saturday, less than a week after he made similar anti-Doha statements.
He described Qatar as “more dangerous” to Israel at the moment than Iran, saying the Persian Gulf Arab country “funded” Palestinian resistance fighters who conducted Operation al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023.
“Qatar operates Al Jazeera, which is the most poisonous cancer hurting us… Qatar reaches places of influence in American universities… And most importantly, [it has access] to the most sacred place for the security of Israel — that is the office of the prime minister of Israel,” he added.
Bennett was referring to the “Qatargate” scandal involving aides to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who are accused of receiving money from Qatar to promote Doha’s image.
He also said Qatar “works against us and poisons us from within,” but Israel does not define Qatar as an enemy state.
Many in the Israeli-occupied territories, including research institutes, influencers, and maybe officials, are on Qatar’s payroll, the former prime minister claimed.
He further emphasized that in the next Israeli cabinet, “we will define Qatar as an enemy,” saying it is “unforgivable” that this is not already the case.
Speaking at a security conference earlier this week, Bennett hit out at Qatar and said the country’s leaders “have a goal of eliminating Israel, period.”
Meanwhile, Bennett claimed that when he was prime minister, he “received intelligence that Qatar also funded Iran’s Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC).”
“If I am elected prime minister, I will immediately declare Qatar an enemy state,” he went on to say.
The remarks sparked condemnation from Doha, with the Qatari Embassy in Washington saying Bennett is “spreading disinformation about Qatar in an attempt to further his own political ambitions.”
Israeli disinformation campaigns, it stressed, will not deter Qatar from continuing its “constructive role” in pursuing regional and international peace and security.
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Bennett vows again to declare Qatar ‘an enemy’ if re-elected as Israeli PM
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