Former PM Naftali Bennett Vows to Declare Qatar an Enemy State if Re-Elected

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett pledged during a Monday interview at the INSS National Security Conference that he would immediately declare Qatar an enemy state if he returns to power. Bennett described Qatar as a "cancer" spreading harmful influence to the West and even into the Israeli Prime Minister's office. He accused Qatar of being the primary financier of Islamist terror groups, particularly Hamas, and blamed it for the bloodshed of Israeli victims on October 7. Bennett criticized Qatar for operating a global influence campaign aimed at Israel's destruction, including funding the Al Jazeera network, which he called antisemitic and a mouthpiece for Hamas propaganda. He argued that any investigation into the October 7 attacks would conclude that Qatar is an enemy state whose leaders seek Israel's annihilation. Bennett also explained that this stance explains why he does not condemn remarks made by Yair Golan regarding Qatar.