Reflections on “Qatargate”

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When Israeli jets struck Hamas targets in Doha on September 9, 2025, the explosions reverberated far beyond the Qatari capital. The attack, aimed at senior Hamas leaders residing in Qatar, marked the first known Israeli strike on Gulf soil. It also highlighted a deeper transformation in Middle Eastern politics: the emerging alignment between Israel and Gulf monarchies against the Muslim Brotherhood — and the controversies surrounding Qatar’s influence that some call “Qatargate.”

On that September night, Israeli F-15s and F-35s launched missiles over the Red Sea, arching through Saudi skies before slamming into Doha’s upscale neighborhoods. The targets: Hamas leaders Khalil al-Hayya and Zaher Jabarin, who were deeply involved in ceasefire negotiations.

Although the operation killed lower-ranking operatives and family members rather than the top brass, its symbolic weight was undeniable. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that “terrorists have no sanctuary, no matter where they hide,” invoking the legacy of Golda Meir’s post-Munich pledge to hunt down attackers wherever they may be.

Behind the scenes, the strike also raised questions of coordination. Missiles traversed Saudi-controlled skies without interception, fueling speculation of tacit Gulf acquiescence. U.S. officials admitted they warned Qatar minutes before the attack to prevent accidental escalation near the massive American Al-Udeid base.

Qatar erupted in outrage. Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani denounced the strike as “cowardly and treacherous,” accusing Israel of betraying ongoing mediation efforts. An emergency summit of Arab and Islamic states quickly condemned Israel.

Yet Gulf monarchies that publicly protested may have privately breathed a sigh of relief. For Riyadh and Abu Dhabi, long intent on curbing Qatar’s Islamist freelancing, Israel’s action served as both a warning to Doha and an alignment with their own anti-Brotherhood priorities. Despite fiery rhetoric, no Arab state severed ties or halted security cooperation with Israel.

Western capitals struck a cautious tone. Washington — balancing its strategic partnership with both Israel and Qatar — emphasized restraint. President Donald Trump called Qatar “a great ally” while acknowledging Israel’s need to confront Hamas. The Biden-era analogy of 9/11 still lingered: just as America pursued al-Qaeda into Afghanistan and Pakistan, Israel argued it had the right to pursue Hamas operatives abroad.

The strike unfolded against a backdrop of mounting scandals over Qatar’s influence in the West. Europe was rocked by the 2022 “Qatargate” affair, when investigators found bags of cash allegedly used to bribe European Parliament members.

By 2025, Israel had its own version. Two of Netanyahu’s close advisors — Yonatan Urich and Eli Feldstein — were accused of accepting payments funneled through a U.S. lobbyist for Qatar. Prosecutors allege they pushed pro-Qatar messaging in Israeli media during the Gaza hostage negotiations, sidelining Egypt’s role and portraying Doha as a benevolent mediator. The arrests deepened domestic anger at Netanyahu, linking his government to years of tacitly allowing Qatari cash into Gaza — money critics say strengthened Hamas and paved the way for October 7.

For Egypt and the UAE, both sworn enemies of the Brotherhood, the scandal was confirmation of Qatar’s duplicity. For Israel, it became a turning point: the strike on Doha symbolized a final break with the policy of tolerating Qatar’s cash-for-calm arrangement.

Israel’s bold move underscored the paradox of Qatar’s position. On one hand, its wealth, gas exports, and hosting of U.S. forces grant it immense political protection. On the other, its sponsorship of Hamas and Islamist networks puts it at odds with most of its neighbors.

The Doha strike thus encapsulates the Middle East’s shifting balance: Israel and Gulf monarchies converging, Qatar and Turkey isolated, and Washington caught in the middle. Publicly, Arab states condemned Israel; privately, some shared its satisfaction.

The deeper message of September 2025 may be this: when it comes to confronting the Brotherhood and its affiliates, Israel and much of the Arab world are moving toward a quiet, if uneasy, partnership. Whether this evolves into an overt coalition or remains a shadow alignment will shape the region’s future long after the smoke in Doha has cleared.