Egypt Angered by Qatar's Influence Campaign, Turns to Israel
Translated & summarized from Mako by baba
Egypt discovered in real-time that Qatar was conducting a coordinated influence campaign against it, including disparaging remarks, and expressed anger to Israel. A senior Egyptian official met with an Israeli minister before the Rafah operation in Spring 2024, conveying that Israel was not treating Egypt with respect. This situation engaged Israeli security officials and was documented internally, highlighting the tensions and implications. The crisis is linked to the "Qatargate" affair and potential damage to Israel's foreign relations, with a separate admission from an advisor about continuing work for Qatar post-October 7th.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Egypt realized Qatar was briefing against it and approached Israel, expressing anger over perceived disrespect.
- A senior Egyptian official met with an Israeli minister before the Rafah operation in Spring 2024.
- The Egyptian concerns were documented internally by Israeli security officials, noting tensions.
- The crisis is linked to the "Qatargate" affair and potential damage to Israel's foreign relations.
- PM's advisor Jonathan Uriach admitted receiving hundreds of thousands of shekels for Qatari work post-October 7th.
Egypt became enraged upon realizing in real-time that Qatar was systematically briefing against it, prompting Cairo to approach Israel with its concerns. This realization occurred during an influence campaign orchestrated by Qatar, which aimed to enhance its image while simultaneously denigrating Egypt. The Egyptian anger and understanding of the situation also engaged Israeli security officials at the time.
Following the campaign's launch, a senior Egyptian official traveled to Jerusalem to meet with a cabinet minister and a diplomatic official. During the meeting, which took place before Israel's planned operation in Rafah in Spring 2024, the Egyptian official expressed frustration, stating, "Israel is not treating us with respect, and this has implications." The Israeli minister responded by saying they desired greater cooperation regarding the IDF's operation in Rafah, but the Egyptian official reiterated his dissatisfaction.
Simultaneously, the Egyptian message reached Israeli security officials who maintain direct contact with their Egyptian counterparts. An internal document from that period noted Egypt's understanding that Israel was disseminating messages against it, addressing both the tension and the implications of this realization. A diplomatic source also received a call from a senior Egyptian official asking why Israel was behaving in such a manner, suggesting a coordinated campaign against Egypt.
The diplomatic fallout from this crisis with Egypt is linked to a serious clause in the ongoing "Qatargate" affair concerning damage to Israel's foreign relations. This clause falls under security offenses and can be attributed to any individual, not just state employees, making it a severe charge. Separately, Prime Minister's advisor Jonathan Uriach admitted during an investigation that he continued working with Qatari entities for months after October 7th, estimating his work concluded in mid-to-late 2024. When questioned about his earnings for the Qatari project, Uriach stated he received "hundreds of thousands of shekels."
