Doha: Qatar has firmly rejected accusations made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who claimed that the Gulf nation was playing a “double game” in its mediation efforts between Israel and Hamas.
Netanyahu, in a post on X (formerly Twitter), accused Qatar of speaking to both sides with duplicity and called on it to “decide whether it stands with the civilized world or with Hamas.”
In response, Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson, Majed Al-Ansari, dismissed Netanyahu’s statement as “provocative,” saying it reflects a “lack of the most basic level of political and moral responsibility.”
Al-Ansari criticized Israel’s attempt to portray its aggression in Gaza as part of a defense of civilization, comparing it to “rhetoric used by regimes in the past to justify crimes against innocent civilians with false slogans.”
He emphasized that Qatar, working closely with its partners since the beginning of the war, has made every effort to support mediation aimed at ending the conflict, protecting civilians, and ensuring the release of hostages.
The Qatari spokesperson challenged Israel to clarify whether the 138 hostages were freed through military operations or through the very mediation efforts now being questioned.
He further added that no amount of “misinformation campaigns” or “political pressure” would deter Qatar from standing up for human rights and the rule of international law.
Netanyahu’s accusations followed Qatar’s statement at the International Court of Justice in The Hague on Friday, where it accused Israel of committing genocide against Palestinians. Netanyahu has maintained that Israel is engaged in a “just war.”
Meanwhile, according to Israeli media, after Netanyahu postponed a planned visit to Azerbaijan, the Israeli army has called up thousands of reserve troops. These forces will be deployed to the Lebanese border and the occupied West Bank, allowing regular forces to prepare for a potential large-scale operation in Gaza.
