Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday stated that Qatar should “stop playing both sides” over negotiations for a truce in the Palestinian territory with Hamas. He also asked Qatar to decide if it was on the side of civilisation or on the side of Hamas. Qatar rejected the statements as “inflammatory”.
“The time has come for Qatar to stop playing both sides with its double talk and decide if it’s on the side of civilization or if it’s on the side of Hamas barbarism,” Netanyahu wrote on X.
Qatar is one of the three countries serving as a mediator to facilitate dialogue and broker peace in the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.
He also asserted that Israel is fighting a “just war with just means”. “After the October 7 atrocities, Prime Minister Netanyahu defined the War of Redemption as a war between civilization and barbarism,” he added.
Israel is fighting a just war with just means. After the October 7 atrocities, Prime Minister Netanyahu defined the War of Redemption as a war between civilization and barbarism.
— Prime Minister of Israel (@IsraeliPM) May 3, 2025
Reacting to this, Qatar’s foreign ministry spokesperson Majed Al-Ansari posted on X early on Sunday: “The State of Qatar firmly rejects the inflammatory statements issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, which fall far short of the most basic standards of political and moral responsibility.”
Meanwhile, despite the efforts by Egyptian and Qatari mediators to restore a ceasefire, both Israel and Hamas have not shown any willingness to back down on core demands. They have instead been blaming the other for the failure to reach a deal.
Qatar does not endorse the attack by Hamas on Israael on October 7, which led to the war, but says that the responsibility lies with Israel due to the occupation. Israeli officials have criticised Qatar for its ties to Hamas, with Netanyahu describing Qatar’s role as “problematic”. However, Qatar has defended its position, stressing on its commitment to participating in an honest mediation and dismisisng attempts that politicise its efforts.
