Why Israel struck Qatar

Why Israel struck Qatar

Qatar has typically been the mediator of choice for conflicts in the Middle East, but last week, Israel carried out its first-ever airstrike on the country when it targeted Hamas officials in the capital, Doha. Those officials were looking over the latest ceasefire proposal to put an end to the war in Gaza that was put forward by the United States. So in this Squiz Shortcut, we’ll get to know:

• Qatar as a nation

• its role in Middle Eastern diplomacy

• and why Israel’s strike is so notable…

Prefer this in your ears?

Listen to our podcast 🎧

Listen time: 14 minutes

Squiz the Shortcut

Qatar has been in the news a lot lately…
Yep, that’s because it’s been trying to negotiate peace (along with parties from Egypt and the US) between Israel and the terror group Hamas over the war in Gaza. Qatar is well practised at mediation; it’s carved out a niche for itself as a ‘prickly Switzerland’ in the Middle East - a region that’s no stranger to conflict due to some deep ideological and religious divisions.

Remind me where exactly it is…
The first thing to note is that it’s really small. It’s 160km long and 80km wide - for a bit of local context, that’s roughly the size of the Greater Sydney Metro area, including the Hawkesbury and Blue Mountains… On a map, it looks like a thumb sticking out into the Arabian Gulf, and it has one border to its south with Saudi Arabia. 

What countries are around it?
Across the Gulf to the north is Iran, to its East is the United Arab Emirates, and northwest is Bahrain. And while it only has a relatively small population of around 2.7 million people, it’s the third richest per capita in the world behind Singapore and Luxembourg. And that wealth is relatively new… 

What was it like before?
Before the 1970s, Qatar was a barren desert with a relatively impoverished population. While its neighbours in Saudi Arabia were in the middle of an oil boom, Qataris made a meagre living herding camels during the winter and diving for pearls in summer. Then, in 1971, they struck gas.

Did they know what it was worth?
No, gas wasn’t what they were hoping for - they wanted oil like the Saudis. But as new technology was developed, they were able to liquify the gas and export it internationally by ship. Long story short, because of their position on the North Field - which is the largest natural gas deposit in the world - they’ve come to dominate the supply, and they’ve become a rich nation as a result.

What do they own?
The country’s Sovereign Wealth Fund - that’s a state fund that invests and grows the nation’s money - owns some impressive assets… You might’ve heard of a few: Harrods and the Shard skyscraper in London, a share in the Empire State Building in New York, and the Paris Saint-Germain Football Club. But as wealthy as they are, there is also extreme inequality in Qatar... 

Please explain…
Qatari citizens make up just 10% of its population - the other 90% are migrant workers from developing countries like Pakistan, India and Bangladesh, and they don’t get a share of that wealth. The issue surfaced in the lead-up to the 2022 FIFA World Cup when Qatar spent around $220 billion building 8 stadiums, multiple hotels, a new metro and expanding the airport. But an estimated 6,500 workers died on the construction sites in poor labour conditions. 

Who runs things in Qatar?
Qatar’s constitution declares Islam as the religion and Sharia as the principal source of legislation. Sharia law is a way to guide Muslims in all aspects of life, from worship to ethics and daily conduct, and it’s very conservative. Politically, the country is dominated by one family: the al-Thanis. 

Tell me about them…
They signed treaties with the British in the 19th century, then took formal control after gaining independence in 1971. The Emir is Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. He’s been in charge since 2013, when his father stepped down. An emir is a Muslim military commander or chief, and Sheikh Tamim is both - he’s very focused on foreign affairs. That’s seen Qatar invest heavily in ‘soft power’ initiatives.

What are they?
Things like the construction of the Museum of Islamic Art, the recruitment of the world’s top universities to ‘Education City’, and the launch of Al Jazeera, a highly influential news network that offers the West a glimpse into the Middle East. And that strategy aligns with the country’s approach to diplomacy… 

What is its approach to diplomacy?
Qatar says “We don’t do enemies. We talk to everyone.” That’s why it’s been labelled the ‘prickly Switzerland’ in that it mediates conflicts and provides neutral ground on one hand, while on the other, it’s willing to host and hold talks with the leaders of controversial terror groups like Hamas and Hezbollah. A lot of that strategy has to do with its location. 

How does location factor in?
Being so reliant on exporting its resources, Qatar has a vested interest in keeping things around it running smoothly because its economy depends on it. And they’ve been carving out their role as mediators for a while… 

Have they had much success?
Yep, their first successful peace deal was in 2008 when they brokered a settlement to a long-running political standoff in Lebanon. Additionally, senior leaders of the Afghan Taliban have been stationed in Doha since the early 2010s, so a lot of talks involving them have been held there… And, along with trying to engineer a peace deal in Gaza, Qatar helped broker talks that ended the 12-day war between Israel and Iran in June of this year, and they also persuaded Hezbollah to stand down against Israel in Lebanon in November last year.

How is that neutral stance working out for them?
Their approach hasn’t always run smoothly for them, and it’s been a source of contention with their neighbours… In fact, it resulted in accusations by Saudi Arabia and the UAE that Qatar was supporting terrorism, which led to a blockade and boycott of Qatari goods that lasted from 2017 to 2021… 

What do they say about their reasons for hosting terror groups?
Qatar is very familiar with Iran and its proxies in the region that have the common goal of eliminating Israel. It might’ve surprised you to learn that Hamas had an office in Doha... But Qatar has argued that it’s necessary for negotiations to happen. And even American officials have been using the capital as a meeting point to participate in those negotiations with Hamas and Israel. 

What’s the relationship like between Qatar and the US?
They’re allies… The US has built a huge airbase there, and in return, Qatar gets special trade and military privileges. Business in the region is worth a lot of money to the US, and you might remember US President Donald Trump prioritised a trip there soon after moving back into the White House, and he was given a sizable/valuable present… 

What was that?
Qatar offered Trump a new Air Force One plane valued at more than $600 million featuring a grand spiral staircase and gold finishes, which the President copped a lot of criticism for accepting… The friendship placed the US in a tricky spot when its other major Middle Eastern ally, Israel, carried out a strike on Hamas’s office on Qatari soil last Tuesday local time. 

Remind me what happened…
Israel’s military said it was a “precision strike” against the leadership of Hamas and members of its peace negotiating team. They were in their office meeting to discuss the latest ceasefire proposal put up by the US, and while most survived, Hamas says that 5 of its members were killed, including the son of its exiled Gaza chief Khalil al-Hayya... 

How did Qatar react?
The Qatari Government was furious and called the strike a “blatant” violation of international law and its sovereignty, and accused Israel of sabotaging peace talks. 

And the US?
Trump wasn’t happy either. White House officials were given a heads-up before the strike, and say they tried to warn Qatar, but there wasn’t enough time. And although White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said that the President had smoothed things over with Qatari leaders and assured them there won’t be any more attacks on their soil, it brings back into focus America’s lack of influence over Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu’s decisions… 

What did Netanyahu say?
He was unapologetic, and remains so, saying the targets were the plotters of the October 7 terror attacks and that every country had the right "to defend itself beyond its borders". And as for targeting members of Hamas’s negotiating team, Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, also doubled down, saying, "If you want to move on, you have to remove some of the people if they are not willing to get that deal”. 

So, what’s the fallout?
We mentioned earlier that Qatar hasn’t had great relations with Saudi Arabia and the UAE - but this chapter has brought them closer… In the 2 days after the strike, leaders from those nations flew into Qatar to show solidarity. They are concerned about Israel launching military strikes on targets in other nations - and there’s been quite a bit of analysis saying that the ripple effects of Israel’s actions could last for years to come - particularly in light of Netanyahu’s refusal to rule out further strikes against Hamas leaders “wherever they are”.

Will Qatar continue in a mediation role?
For the moment, Qatar says it’s willing to continue mediating between Israel and Hamas, and now that we know a little more about how much its economy and security depend on stability in the region, it goes some way to explaining why…

Sweet dreams are made of this

Sleep is the best, right? If you’re tossing and turning over picking a new mattress, Sleep Republic is a top choice for comfort and support. Recommended by CHOICE and backed by the Australian Spinal Research Foundation, their award-winning 'mattress-in-a-box' is all about comfort. Experience the Sleep Republic difference with a 100-night trial, and get ready to dream.

Onto our Recommendations

Reading: This article in Tatler covering Sheik Tamim’s visit to the UK last year gives a fascinating look into the house of al-Thani.

Reading: This piece from the New York Times titled What Drove Israel’s Brazen Attack on Hamas in Qatar? (paywall). It’s a good wrap-up of what many well-credentialled experts think, and a lot of it seems to come down to frustration with the peace process…

Recent Shortcuts