Bennett Urges Netanyahu to Declare Qatar Enemy State at UN

Naftali Bennett, leader of the Yahad party, has called on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to use his upcoming address at the UN General Assembly to declare Qatar an enemy state. Bennett made this appeal on Wednesday, September 23, stating that both the coalition and the opposition would support such a move. He framed this demand as an opportunity to restore historical justice for the 1,200 victims of the October 7th Hamas attack, emphasizing that the UN platform is being watched globally.

Bennett also pledged to provide the UN Secretary-General with evidence linking Qatar to the Hamas massacre. He asserted that Qatar financed the Hamas attack, celebrated its success, and continues to justify and encourage future atrocities. "Qatar is an enemy, and it is time the whole world knew this and acted accordingly," Bennett stated.

This call comes approximately one month before Israeli elections and amid suspicions of Netanyahu's advisors' involvement in the "Qatargate" affair. A recent investigative report by Ronen Bergman and Yuval Rubovich, published on September 18 in Yedioth Ahronoth, revealed that intelligence regarding Qatar's ties to Hamas and its funding of Hamas's military buildup had been presented to Netanyahu since 2019. The report suggested that 40-50% of Hamas's military wing budget originated from these Qatari funds, with additional funds channeled through a covert bypass. Despite warnings from Egypt and intelligence agencies, the investigation claims Netanyahu chose to ignore them.

Bennett reiterated his demand, arguing that Netanyahu's UN speech would be judged not by grand statements but by a direct declaration of Qatar as an enemy state. He warned that without this action, Qatar would continue to control Gaza and allow Hamas to rearm and prepare for further attacks, calling it a serious oversight and urging immediate action.