Tipsheet

The Trump Effect: Qatar Sends a Message to Remaining Hamas Leaders

Katie Pavlich
Katie Pavlich  |  November 08, 2024 11:45 AM

After years of harboring Hamas leaders in their lavish, six star hotels, the government of Qatar has finally told them (the remaining leaders who haven't been assassinated by Israel in recent months) to get out. The news comes just days after President-elect Donald Trump won the 2024 presidential election. 

Since the October 7 terrorist attack in Israel, which was perpetrated by Hamas, Qatar has claimed to be a good faith partner in the hostage negotiation process. They haven't been and Hamas is still holding hundreds of hostages in the Gaza Strip. From former Trump official Richard Goldberg, an expert at the Foundation for Defense of Democracies: 

Qatar runs a hostage diplomacy scam. Been doing it for years. Because of this, the US Hostage Affairs team has become dependent on Qatar and actually believes Qatar is helpful. No one ever questions how or why Qatar always shows up after hostages get taken somewhere. Like a hostage ambulance chaser, Doha just shows up at our doorstep and the US government signs them up for the case. And it happens in other western countries, too.

But it's more sophisticated than that. Qatar then throws money around at NGOs who have hostage diplomacy "experts" who can advise hostage families in moments of crisis. The Richardson Center is a good, confirmed example, though there are others yet to be confirmed. Now the people who are running mediation for the hostage talks have a way to influence the hostage families as well.

No one seems to care about this scam for a while. It's weird that Qatar runs this corrupt cottage industry, but there is no apparent conflict of interest for Doha, right? Just the new Swiss bankers of the world, ready to help everyone.

Until hostages are taken by Qatar's client, Hamas. Whose officials live in Qatar. Whose funds are held in Qatar. Whose ideology is supported by Qatar. And now suddenly we have a massive problem that needs to be addressed. And Qatar needs to be treated as the sponsor of Hamas that it is, not some neutral intermediary to Hamas.

Only we never do that. We pretend it's fine. The US Government tells hostage families to trust in the Qataris. The Qatari-funded NGOs tell the families to trust in the Qataris, never blast them publicly because "it won't be productive." American Jewish leaders are told the same by these Qatari-aligned actors, so they stand down on public criticism and advise families to do the same. The Qataris even hire a former White House Jewish liaison to help prepare the families for meetings.

How have so many people of good nature and intention been so complicit in scamming the hostage families for nearly 11 months? When will it ever end?

During the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Trump said he expects the hostages to be released before he takes office.