Qatar hits back at Bennett’s claims of financing terror groups

Qatar has dismissed allegations made by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett at a security conference, accusing him of spreading false information to advance his political ambitions. Bennett, who now heads the Yamina party, revealed at a conference organised by Ynet and Yedioth Ahronoth that he had received intelligence while in office suggesting Qatar was financially supporting the Islamic Revolutionary Guards Corps. At the time, Bennett claimed he had considered immediately declaring Qatar an enemy state based on this information.

Qatar’s response was swift and dismissive, with officials stating that Bennett’s comments represented yet another attack on the Gulf state motivated by political gain rather than genuine security concerns. The statement suggests this is part of a pattern of behaviour from the former prime minister, who has previously made claims about Qatar’s alleged support for various militant groups.

The allegation raises questions about intelligence assessments shared with Israeli leadership regarding Qatari funding of Iranian military forces. However, Qatar’s rejection of the claims highlights the contentious diplomatic relationship between Doha and Israel, particularly given Qatar’s complicated role as both a US ally and a mediator in Israeli-Palestinian disputes.

Source: Ynet — Original article in Hebrew.