Why Israel Won’t Make Qatar an Enemy

Israel and Qatar are likely to avoid becoming outright enemies, despite their complex and often fraught relationship. For over a decade, Israel has used Doha as a channel to Hamas, leveraging Qatar's unique role as a mediator and facilitator of discussions in Gaza. This delicate balance has endured, even after the Oct. 7, 2023, attack made their relationship more contentious but did not end it. The Qataris, meanwhile, have positioned themselves as key players in the present and future of the Gaza Strip, requiring them to maintain cordial ties with Israel at least at an elite level. In the face of increasingly mutual public hostility, both states still need each other, making outright enmity unlikely. The history between Israel and Qatar is more complex and nuanced than often presented. In the 1990s, Doha was an outlier for the opposite reason: Israel was arguably closer to Qatar than any other Gulf state, with a relationship that suffered but endured after the outbreak of the Second Intifada in the early 2000s. Even as late as 2008, Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni delivered a keynote speech at a Doha conference, part of the effort to establish ties with 'moderate Arab nations.' This was a far cry from how mainstream Israeli politicians would describe Qatar today. Subsequent events derailed deepening overt relations. Hamas's takeover of the Gaza Strip in 2007 was seen by the United States and Israel as a crisis, but Qatar saw the new reality in Gaza as an opportunity to expand its diplomatic role and influence in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Accordingly, Qatar undertook a strategic shift away from public engagement with Israel and toward openly cultivating ties with Hamas, challenging Egypt's traditional role as the primary mediator for any flare-ups between Israel and Gaza. Contrary to Israeli assertions, however, the more than $1 billion that Qatar invested in Gaza was not directly funneled to Hamas, according to Qatari officials. The money instead went toward Gaza's civilian needs, and the delivery method was later changed to bank transfers, coupled with the direct provision of materials such as fuel and humanitarian aid. Some critics argue that even if it did not go directly to Hamas's military wing, Qatari funds kept the group in power by stabilizing the status quo in the territory, a point disputed by Qatar, which argues it prevented a humanitarian crisis. In recent years, this delicate balance has been tested by several high-profile incidents. In 2025, Israel's Netanyahu, then Prime Minister of Israel, faced allegations of corruption tied to his dealings with Qatar, prompting widespread public unrest and fueling calls to label Qatar an enemy state. Despite this, Qatar has continued to play a crucial role in regional diplomacy, hosting a series of high-stakes peace talks and serving as a crucial facilitator in Gaza's complex conflict landscape. Despite the increasing toxicity in any debate about Qatar-Israel relations, it seems clear that they will be forced to navigate this delicate dance for the foreseeable future, driven by a shared interest in containing the influence of Hamas and maintaining stability in the region. This dynamic raises important questions about the future of Israel-Qatar relations, the impact of regional instability on global security, and the evolving role of Qatar as a diplomatic player in the Middle East. Ultimately, both sides will be forced to confront the reality that they rely on each other in ways that they do not always admit—whether it's Qatar's crucial role in facilitating dialogue with Hamas or Israel's continued need for access to Doha's unique diplomatic channels. In the end, as the situation evolves and both sides navigate their mutual dependencies, the international community will be watching closely to see how they navigate this complex and delicate dance.