Qatari diplomacy towards the Palestinian cause: support, endorsement and advocacy

A big question raised by some in the political arena: How did Qatar succeed in imposing its presence on the Palestinian scene, and becoming an important - and indispensable - player with regard to the reality of peace and war between the Palestinians and Israel? And how did it manage to be the safe haven for the leadership of Hamas, and the reference that cannot be bypassed in the movements for calm and stopping the aggression if the confrontations with the Gaza Strip raged, and the harbingers of war became imminent.

The other question: How did Qatar manage to build this level of trust with the Hamas leadership to the point where it is considered one of the most important countries with which opinions and advice are exchanged regarding mediation issues, as well as in the field of building and improving its Arab and international relations?

There is no doubt that the State of Qatar, despite its diminishing geography and limited population, has been able, through its wise and effective foreign policies and diplomacy, to achieve successes that other countries that were - historically - more ancient than it and the largest in the region, were able to accomplish. The oppressor on her behalf, and the mediation roles she played to resolve more than one conflict within the Arab region, have given her the confidence of many international players around the world.

Today, Qatar plays a pivotal role with regard to the conflict between the Palestinians - especially Hamas - and the Israelis, and its presence has become required for the success of any mediation between the two parties, in the context of strengthening the Egyptian efforts that follow up on this file, as it constitutes its national security.

Palestine and Qatar.. an early humanitarian gesture

The follower of the Qatari role with regard to the Palestinian cause will witness a distinguished presence, by providing all forms of political, material and moral support for many years, and this is what strengthened confidence in Qatar’s positions and foreign policy, even if the roots of the relationship with the Palestinians go back to the mid-fifties, when hundreds of them flocked to work In the education sector as teachers, and among them were prominent personalities from the Brotherhood organization, from whose mercy many Fatah movement leaders emerged.

The State of Qatar in the Palestinian imagination is one of the Gulf countries that granted a safe haven to the Palestinians after the Nakba of 1948, and this memory has been nourished by many aspects of the credit provided by Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani and his son, His Highness Sheikh Tamim, from the mid-nineties to the present day.

As we tracked the Qatari positions towards the Palestinian cause in all international forums, we found the constant affirmation by its Emir that Qatar will not give up supporting its brothers in Palestine because of its belief in their just cause, and in fulfillment of its moral responsibility that necessitates standing with the right and supporting the oppressed.

In all of Sheikh Tamim's foreign tours and visits, the Palestinian cause and its support represent a constant item in his talks with all world leaders, just as Palestinian developments and the rights of the Palestinian people remain present without absence, and he puts the world and the international community before his responsibilities towards Palestine and its cause.

Hamas and Qatar... a historical view

When Hamas won the legislative elections in January 2006, and the tenth government was formed headed by Ismail Haniyeh, there were American objections and international rejection of it, and this matter was reflected in its relations with the authority and President Mahmoud Abbas, in addition to the financial distress that has become threatening its institutions. Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh’s contacts with His Highness Sheikh Hamad to inform him of the difficult financial conditions that the Gaza Strip is going through, especially the education and health sectors, found urgent Qatari calls for help, and this situation remained in place to alleviate the pressures of the unjust siege that Ismail Haniyeh’s government was subjected to, which intensified. After the tragic internal events that took place in June 2007, however, Qatar, represented by its Emir, acted as "merciful hands" and a "humanitarian and relief safety net" for the Palestinians, not only in the Gaza Strip but also in the West Bank, and this is what magnified the Palestinians' steadfastness and steadfastness on their land. and mobilize their valiant resistance to the occupation.

During the three major wars that the Gaza Strip was exposed to in the years (2008-2012-2014), and the resulting scale of tragedies, loss of life, and terrible destruction to the infrastructure in various sectors, Qatar was "the first relief and generous donor" for the reconstruction of what it destroyed. The war, and what helps the Palestinians in the Gaza Strip to live at a level that preserves their human dignity for many of them.

This is on the part of aid, relief support and reconstruction, which exceeded one and a half billion dollars without aid or harm, much of which is supervised by the Qatari Committee for the Reconstruction of Gaza, in addition to other charitable donations from Qatari non-governmental associations and institutions.

According to the reports of the Qatari Committee, there are more than 65 local companies working in relief projects, infrastructure and support for the energy and health sectors, and they have contributed to the employment of more than 100,000 professional and technical cadres directly and indirectly in Gaza, and today it is considered one of the most important pillars of stability. Also, part of the sources of income for many municipal institutions, hospitals and social affairs in the Gaza Strip belong to it.

The confidence of the Hamas leadership in the Qatari incubator did not come from a vacuum, but rather from the accumulation of positive attitudes and policies towards the movement, and the non-stop political, humanitarian and media support for our people and our Palestinian cause, as the Qatari position is considered one of the strongest and most stable Arab positions and is in harmony with international legitimacy and the rights of the Palestinian people. .

At a time when Qatar affirms that the Palestinian issue will remain the central issue of the Arab and Islamic nation and all honorable people in the world, and renews its supportive and steadfast stance towards the Palestinian people and their just cause, and stresses that it will spare no effort to work to alleviate the difficulties faced by the Palestinian people until they regain all their legitimate rights. It is inalienable, and it strongly announces its policy of rejecting Israeli policies, at a time when the Gulf region has turned - unfortunately - into an incubator for Israeli embassies and Zionist officials, and the flags of the occupying state are now being raised in Gulf countries neighboring Qatar!!

In conclusion, if we follow Qatar's positions and foreign policies on most regional and international issues, foremost of which is the issue of Palestine, we will find that it has placed itself on the right side of history. Wherever a place witnesses suffering, we notice that Qatar is strongly present on the side of those who need help and assistance. who are subjected to injustice and persecution.

In this context, he concluded with a final word of loyalty to Qatar, its Emir, its government, and its people, explaining that the World Cup sports scene last year saw Palestine as one of the most important witnesses in the presence of absence.