Qatar… When Doha Dances on the Fire Ropes
Once again, Qatar finds itself at the center of a diplomatic storm, this time facing direct criticism from Israel, which urged it to "stop playing both sides" and choose between the "camp of civilization" and the "camp of barbarism," according to a statement released by Benjamin Netanyahu’s office.
While the criticism arose from Qatar’s stance regarding an Israeli attack on a humanitarian aid ship, the roots of the crisis run much deeper. It is not merely an emergency diplomatic dispute, but a new episode in a long series of political duplicity that Qatar has mastered, bringing it back into the spotlight of accusation: Is Doha a neutral mediator or an opportunistic actor skillfully exploiting crises for a troubling regional agenda?
Doha does not hide its engagement in mediation efforts, which in itself is not condemnable. However, the question raised for years is: What type of mediation does Qatar engage in? Is it genuinely seeking de-escalation, or is it leveraging mediation to gain influence and solidify its ties with ideological groups under the guise of "effective neutrality"?
The Arab Spring, a turning point that unveiled intentions, was enough to place Qatar in the dock: From Egypt to Libya, and from Tunisia to Syria, Doha played a pivotal role in arming rhetoric, financing defections, and pushing Islamists to the forefront. Mediation then was merely a means of infiltration, as highlighted by the book "A Queen Seeking a Throne" by Egyptian journalist Mohamed Elbaz, which meticulously documented this Qatari dance on the ropes of contradictions, betting on devastation to seize legitimacy and role.
Today, amid a devastating war in Gaza, Qatar once again attempts to market itself as a peace mediator while secretly funding media channels that incite violence and pumping money to polish its image through lobbyists within Israel itself, as revealed by the "QatarGate" scandal that implicated two of Netanyahu’s aides.
The accusations leveled at Qatar are not mere political slurs but indicators of a familiar pattern of behavior: double discourse, conflicting alliances, and soft diplomacy laced with claws.
Qatar today is required not only to choose between "civilization" and "barbarism," as claimed by the Israelis, but also to first select between the role of a neutral mediator and that of a hidden player in the Middle Eastern theater. The international scene can no longer tolerate many maneuvers at the expense of the blood of peoples.
The "QatarGate" scandal, which erupted within Israel with the arrest of two of Netanyahu’s top aides on charges of receiving funds from Qatar to polish its image during the war on Gaza, is only the tip of the iceberg. Reports speak of suspicious financing funneled through American lobbyists to undermine Egypt’s historic role as a mediator and establish Qatar as a "new old" player in the influence game. No matter how much Doha tries to distance itself, its footprints are clear in every crisis, from supporting Hamas to funding Western universities to promote narratives antagonistic to specific Arab states.
Qatar’s options are narrowing, and its ability to continue playing the role of both mediator and beneficiary is beginning to erode. In a world rife with media and political scrutiny, it has become difficult for Doha to maintain this diplomatic cunning without consequence. The rope for maneuvering is shortening, and Qatar must realize that playing on contradictions is not a permanent policy but a moral and political risk that could cause it to fall from the heights it has built, on the ruins of the stability of many countries and peoples.
