Qatar PM Rejects Israel Infiltration Claims, Warns Against 'Scapegoat' Narrative

(MENAFN- Khaleej Times) Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister has rejected allegations that Doha 'infiltrated' the Israeli government, calling the accusations 'baseless'.

Speaking to CNN's Christiane Amanpour in New York, where he was attending the 81st United Nations General Assembly, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani described claims that Qatar had bribed members of the Israeli government as 'absurd'.

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“If this was the case, it would have been the worst investment Qatar has ever made,” he said, warning against attempts to use Qatar as a 'scapegoat' for political or personal gain.

Stay up to date with the latest news. Follow KT on WhatsApp Channels. Qatar rejects accusations

Sheikh Mohammed said Qatar had been“struck” by the Netanyahu government, accusing the Israeli prime minister of having“sabotaged many attempts” to reach ceasefires and secure the release of hostages throughout the Gaza conflict in the last couple of years.

“We have seen him undermining Qatar's efforts in every step we have been moving forward,” Sheikh Mohammed said, according to the interview.

'Picking a fight' for political reasons

Sheikh Mohammed also pointed to comments by former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett, who has criticised Qatar's role in the Gaza conflict.

He noted that Bennett, who served as Israel's prime minister from 2021 to 2022, led a government that had supported and praised Qatar's mediation efforts at the time, according to Sheikh Mohammed.

The Qatari prime minister said Israeli political figures were now“picking a fight” with Qatar for political and personal reasons, including electoral considerations, as Israel prepares for its next parliamentary election next month.

Sheikh Mohammed said it was“totally unacceptable” to use Qatar as a“scapegoat” for their internal issues.

'Centre of campaigns'

The Qatari prime minister said Doha had increasingly become the target of campaigns by those seeking to create instability in the region.

“Qatar has been unfortunately the centre of the campaign of anyone who wants to see chaos and escalation in the region,” he said.

He argued that Qatar's position as a mediator had made it a target, saying Doha had sought to pursue negotiations and de-escalation during regional conflicts.

Qatar's role in Gaza mediation

Qatar has been a key mediator in efforts to end the fighting in Gaza over the past two years, working alongside Egypt and the US on ceasefire negotiations and hostage releases.

The latest efforts culminated in the October 2025 ceasefire, reached after months of negotiations as the humanitarian situation in Gaza continued to deteriorate. By November 29, 2025, the reported Palestinian death toll had surpassed 70,000, according to Gaza's Health Ministry, as reported by Reuters.

Qatar rejects Netanyahu's 'influence campaign' accusation

On September 25, Qatar rejected Netanyahu's accusation that Doha was“conducting a campaign to influence public opinion against Israel”, calling the claim an attempt to“divert attention” from what it described as atrocities in the occupied Palestinian territories.

Dr Majed Al Ansari, advisor to the prime minister and spokesperson for Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, also rejected claims that the growing shift in global public opinion, particularly among young people, was the result of“influence campaigns”.

He said people were forming their views based on what they were witnessing in real time, arguing that attributing the shift to outside influence“is an insult to the awareness and judgement" of a generation witnessing events on the ground.

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