Qatar, which has had trouble in the recent past with several Arab countries due to its support for radical Islamist groups, paradoxically finds itself playing mediator in the conflict between Israel and Hamas.
His role in negotiating the release of two American hostages last weekend was praised by the American government, which describes the small country as a “very close ally”.
It was brought up again on Monday after two Israeli women detained in the Gaza Strip were handed over to Red Cross representatives.
PHOTO ARCHIVES REUTERS
Qatar’s role in negotiating the release of Judith Tai Raanan and her daughter Natalie Shoshana Raanan, two American hostages, last weekend was praised by the US government.
The Qatari regime plays this role of mediator with the support of the United States and other countries which benefit from maintaining indirect communication channels of this type, notes Thomas Juneau, Middle East specialist attached to the University of Ottawa.
The Qatari capital, Doha, was notably used a few years ago during the negotiations led by Washington with the Taliban to formalize the withdrawal of the last American troops from Afghanistan.
Qatar is a small, very fragile country that finds itself sandwiched between Saudi Arabia and Iran. To strengthen his position, he seeks to make himself indispensable in the eyes of the United States.
Thomas Juneau, Middle East specialist attached to the University of Ottawa
Its importance in the eyes of Washington is also due to the presence of a major military base with 10,000 soldiers which plays a central role in the American capacity to deploy quickly in the region and beyond.
“In touch” with all parties
The emirate quickly highlighted its mediation efforts after the Hamas attack on October 7, noting that its representatives were “in constant contact with all parties” in the crisis and sought to avoid a regional conflagration, while facilitating the release of hostages.
The assertion did not go unnoticed in Western countries, including Canada, which count several nationals among the 220 hostages held by Hamas in the Gaza Strip.
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who spoke with Qatari Emir Tanim bin Hamad al Thani on October 15, praised the country’s “important role” on Twitter over the weekend in the American releases obtained, before emphasizing that Ottawa would “continue” to act with Doha to ensure that the other hostages regain their freedom.
The French President, Emmanuel Macron, made similar thanks while noting that he was hopeful of obtaining, thanks to the channels used “through Qatar”, the release of the French hostages from Hamas.
Qatar is not the only country claiming to mediate in the crisis, since other states, including Turkey, claim to have been contacted to try to calm tensions.
The regime nonetheless remains at the center of the diplomatic game, which can prove delicate in times of major crisis.
” A mistake “
Images showing Hamas political leaders based in Doha welcoming the October 7 attack are likely to shock Israel and beyond, notes Mr. Juneau, who would not be surprised to see Tel Aviv demand their extradition even if no formal mechanism is in place on this subject.
Another meeting in Doha in mid-October between Hamas and Iran, its main sponsor, is also likely to make waves, notes the analyst.
” It suprised me. In terms of optics, it makes Qatar look bad, it was a mistake. They may have been presented with a fait accompli,” he adds, specifying that the political leaders of Hamas are closely monitored by the local authorities.
“If they weren’t there, they would probably be in Iran, which wouldn’t really be any better for moving things forward,” emphasizes Mr. Juneau.
Blockade
For four years, Qatar was the subject of a major blockade orchestrated by Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Egypt, who accused it of wanting to destabilize the regimes in the region through its support for groups. radical Islamists and to use the Al Jazeera channel for propaganda purposes to harm them.
The leaders of these countries were also suspicious of Qatar’s links with Iran, notes the International Crisis Group (ICG) in a recent study.
The blockade, underlines the research group, did not have a lasting impact on the orientations of the Qatari regime and its instigators agreed in early 2021 to reverse course before gradually restoring normal diplomatic relations.
The process, notes the ICG, was notably accelerated by the holding of the 2022 Soccer World Cup in Qatar, which led to an “outbreak of Arab nationalism” extending well beyond the country’s borders.
The event was heavily criticized by influential human rights organizations such as Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, who accused the country of wanting to improve its international image through the use of sport, a ploy also widely used by Saudi Arabia.
Qatar, which denies any wrongdoing, was also placed in the spotlight at the end of last year in a corruption scandal affecting several elected members of the European Parliament.