how Qatar established itself as an essential mediator in the negotiations

A “success” which Qatar welcomes. Doha announced on Wednesday, November 22, that an agreement had been reached between Israel and Hamas for a “humanitarian break” in the war between them. A compromise was found between the two enemies, thanks to “mediation efforts undertaken jointly with Egypt and the United States”. The plan provides for the release of at least 50 hostages held in the Gaza Strip since October 7 in exchange for 150 Palestinians held in Israeli prisons.

On October 7, during a series of attacks that left more than 1,200 people dead in Israel, Hamas also kidnapped 240 people. Since then, negotiations have taken place between Tel Aviv and the Palestinian Islamist movement to obtain the return of some of these captives, under the aegis of Qatar in particular. “We know that agents from Mossad, the Israeli intelligence services, arrived in Doha several days ago”, underlines Didier Billion, deputy director of the Institute of International and Strategic Relations (Iris). These exchanges had already led to the release, at the end of October, of four hostages, two Americans and two Israelis.

Qatar maintains relations with all parties

And for good reason: Qatar enjoys a unique position as interlocutor for Hamas, Israel and the West. The small Gulf country is home to the largest American military base in the region, recalls The world. But he also cultivates “very regular and close contacts with the Hamas leadership”, notes Didier Billion. Since 2012, Doha has hosted the political office of the group in power in the Gaza Strip, “with the tacit approval of the United States”remember David Rigoulet-Roze, researcher attached to the French Institute of Strategic Analysis (Ifas) and editor-in-chief of the journal Strategic directions.

Hamas leader Ismaël Haniyeh has also lived in exile in the Qatari capital since 2019. “These links are all the more important as the matrix of Hamas is the Muslim Brotherhood movement, supported by Qatar”, continues David Rigoulet-Roze. The emirate also pays “30 million dollars every month to the Gaza Strip, to finance the construction of infrastructure and the salaries of civil servants, with the approval of Israel.”

Doha also cooperates with Tel Aviv. Officially, there is “no direct diplomatic relations” between the two states, explains Hasni Abidi, director of the Center for Studies and Research on the Arab and Mediterranean World (Cermanam). Qatar, however, hosted an Israeli commercial representation between 1996 and 2000, until the start of the second intifada (2000-2005). Since then, the two countries “maintain informal contacts”particularly on security issues or for the coordination of financial aid paid to the Gaza Strip.

“Qatar speaks directly to all parties involved in the conflict, making it an essential interlocutor for these negotiations.”

David Rigoulet-Roze, researcher attached to Ifas

at franceinfo

Europeans and Americans, who do not want to negotiate directly with an organization that they have classified as terrorist, “use Doha as an intermediary” to exchange with Hamas, continues David Rigoulet-Roze. “It’s a very useful transmission belt for Westerners”, he insists. In this case, Doha “benefits from the support of the United States”Israel’s main ally and who “monopolizes conflict management” Israeli-Palestinian for decades, confirms Hasni Abidi.

Other countries could have played this role, such as Turkey or Egypt. Cairo also participated in the mediation which led to the agreement announced on Wednesday. But “Egypt participated in the blockade imposed to the Gaza Strip by Israel” since 2007, recalls Didier Billion. The country is also “directly concerned by the outcome of the conflict, because it absolutely seeks to avoid the massive arrival of Gazan refugees on its territory”.

Doha wants to become “the Geneva of the Middle East”

Qatar has already established its position as mediator in other crises, recalls David Rigoulet-Roze. “He welcomed the negotiations between the United States and the Taliban ahead of the American withdrawal from Afghanistan”, between 2020 and 2021, underlines the researcher. He also contributed, in mid-September, to the signing of the agreement between Washington and Tehran on an exchange of prisoners. The emirate shares “an immense gas field with Iran, which allows it to serve as an interface with the country perceived as the major threat in this region”, underlines David Rigoulet-Roze. This positioning is the fruit of the foreign policy pursued by Doha for almost 30 years, points out Didier Billion.

“Qatar is certainly a very rich country, but it is also very small. Its leaders understood that they had to rely on soft power to exist on the international scene.”

Didier Billion, deputy director of Iris

at franceinfo

To establish its name on the international scene, Qatar has relied on “the geopolitics of sport, with the organization of competitions such as the 2022 Football World Cup, but also through the development of its mediation capacities”thanks to “of the diplomats specialized in this domain”, notes Didier Billion. Doha has “thereambition to become the Geneva of the Middle East”analyzes David Rigoulet-Roze.

This strategy thus allowed Qatar to establish itself as the main mediator in the war between Israel and Hamas. “With the International Committee of the Red Cross and the United States, he will be the guarantor of compliance with the agreement on the humanitarian truce and the release of the hostages”estimates Hasni Abidi. But the future of this role is as uncertain as the future of the Gaza Strip. “For now, everyone needs Qatar. But “some statements by American officials suggest that there will be no return to the status quo that existed before October 7” between Israel and Gaza, notes David Rigoulet-Roze.

“If there is a recomposition around a revisited Palestinian Authority, and integrating Hamas leaders who were not involved in the violence of October 7, Qatar could play a role in the discussions”, says Hasni Abidi. But if the Palestinian Islamist group is “put out of play”Doha will have “a lesser role”, estimates the director of Cermam. And Tel Aviv reaffirmed its objective on Wednesday: “Eliminate Hamas and ensure that there is no longer any threat to the State of Israel from Gaza.”