Secret Anti-Qatar Campaign by 30 Israelis Fizzles Before 'Qatargate' Scandal

A clandestine WhatsApp group of 30 prominent Israelis, including political consultants, campaigners, and media experts, launched an intensive volunteer effort during the early days of the "Swords of Iron" war to pressure Qatar over its funding of Hamas and its role in the hostage crisis. The group aimed to create global civilian pressure on Qatar to secure the release of hostages, using slogans like "Hamas is ISIS" and developing foreign-language websites and social media accounts.

Operating as a classic civilian "war room," the initiative involved nightly conference calls and the rapid development of materials, including a plan to present "shaming" content about Qatari-invested companies to American journalists. The participants were driven by a sense of urgency to counter anti-Israel propaganda and perceived failures in official Israeli public relations efforts.

However, approximately one month after its launch, the project abruptly ceased without explanation. Websites were taken offline, and digital traces were erased, leaving the 30 participants bewildered. This shutdown occurred just before the "Qatargate" scandal began to unfold, revealing alleged connections between figures in the Prime Minister's Office and Qatar, including pro-Qatari campaigns and accusations of funds flowing from Qatar to advisors close to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The timing of the campaign's discontinuation has raised questions about whether its suspension was coincidental or linked to undisclosed considerations within the government. The article suggests a potential conflict between the desire for genuine civilian pressure on Qatar and behind-the-scenes decisions that may have prioritized maintaining open channels with Doha, especially as the complex relationship with Qatar was coming under scrutiny.