For years, Qatar has faced accusations of supporting Hamas, the Muslim Brotherhood, and Iran, and using Al Jazeera and American universities to spread its agenda. While Doha has influence among Islamist movements, it has consistently rejected nefarious intentions, pointing to its role as a mediator and US defense partner. Still, the charges are used as political ammunition in the US and Israel, where key elections will be held over the next two weeks, with some Israelis in particular repeating claims that Qatari funding helped enable Hamas’ Oct. 7 terror attack.
The charges have always been short on evidence. A recent Time investigation uncovered secret correspondence showing that Israel encouraged and coordinated nearly $2 billion in Qatari payments to Gaza over more than a decade. In a 2020 letter, Mossad’s director at the time praised Doha’s humanitarian efforts for “ensuring stability and safety in the region.”
The accusation that Qatar uses university funding to promote antisemitism has also been debunked by a former US ambassador to Qatar who is affiliated with Georgetown, which has a branch in Doha. He noted that 97% of the $6.25 billion Qatar provided to American universities since 2001 went to six institutions, all of which have campuses in the country.
— Mohammed Sergie