Dangerous double game in the Middle East: Emir of Qatar saves hostages and finances Hamas

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Almost a year after the World Cup was held, all international eyes are once again on Qatar: Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani (43) is making headlines with his country as a key mediator in the rescue of hostages from the clutches of Hamas. However, the peninsula state is full of contradictions.

Tamim succeeded his father in the hereditary monarchy in 2013 and has since reorganized Qatar’s foreign policy. His monarchy now regularly steps in as a mediator in conflicts. Qatari politics and relations with the West are complex. Without his close relationship with Hamas, it would not have been possible for Tamim to have contributed to the release of the four hostages so far. Hamas took more than 220 people hostage and killed more than 1,400 people in its attack on Israel on October 7.

One of Hamas’ most important financial backers

Qatar, along with Iran, has been the most important donor to the Gaza Strip, which has been under Hamas rule for 15 years. Every month, $30 million flows from Qatar to the Gaza Strip through the United Nations; Some of this is in the form of fuel. Without these financial injections, Hamas would not be able to pay the salaries of its officials. Some of the funds also go to Palestinian families living in extreme poverty. However, international observers believe that Hamas also used this money to finance some of its tunnel systems and weapons.

The EU, USA and Israel classify Hamas as a terrorist organisation. Tamim doesn’t want to know anything about this. He blames Israel for the increase in tension. For this reason, his meeting with Chancellor Olaf Scholz (65) in Berlin about two weeks ago led to harsh criticism in Germany.

Richer than Switzerland

In addition to Hamas, Tamim also supports the Lebanese Hezbollah, the radical Muslim Brotherhood, the terrorist organization Al Qaeda, and diplomatically recognizes the Taliban in Afghanistan. Emir benefits from the entire state’s coffers. The peninsular state is extremely rich, thanks, among other things, to its gas reserves. The International Monetary Fund estimates Qatar’s per capita gross domestic product at $114,000; this is 26 percent higher than Switzerland’s.

The West is reluctant to criticize Qatar. The country is the world’s largest supplier of liquid gas and therefore an important trading partner for the EU. The USA, on the other hand, maintains its largest military base in the Arab region in Qatar and defines Tamim as an important partner. With his mediator role, he has managed to strengthen his support in the West in recent years.

This gives Qatar additional protection. Relations with Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have been tense for years, culminating in a crisis from 2017 to 2021 in which other countries sought to completely isolate Qatar. Saudi Arabia and the Emirates see Qatar as a threat to their monarchies. Qatar supported protest movements in the 2011 Arab Spring, and Tamim is at least partially involved in other political camps in his country. However, the last word remains with Emir.

Source :Blick