Israel Halts All Security Exports to Qatar Nearly Three Years After October 7 Attacks

Nearly three years after the October 7, 2023 attacks, Israel has decided to completely freeze all security exports to Qatar, including the cancellation of previously signed contracts. This move, reported by Channel 12 News, reflects a significant shift in Israel's stance toward Qatar, which Israeli security officials now describe as a "hostile state" acting against Israeli interests.

Qatar's longstanding ties with Hamas, including hosting its leadership, providing financial support, and promoting its agenda through Al Jazeera, have been well known to Israeli authorities for years. Despite this, successive Israeli governments tolerated and even encouraged Qatar's involvement in Gaza, formalizing financial transfers and maintaining security cooperation up until the day of the attacks. Israeli officials had even urged Qatar to continue funding Gaza after the outbreak of hostilities.

The article argues that Israel was not deceived by Qatar but consciously chose this policy. The failure lies with Israel's security and political leadership for allowing these relations to persist despite the risks. Even after the October 7 massacre, covert diplomatic, business, and security ties, including Israeli security exports to Qatar, reportedly continued.

While Qatar remains a key U.S. ally and mediator with Hamas, the author stresses the difference between engaging with an adversary and empowering it with military capabilities. The decision to halt security exports is justified but long overdue. The delay raises serious questions about who authorized the deals, why they continued post-October 7, and what new information prompted the freeze now.

The commentary concludes that stopping the exports is not a diplomatic achievement but a belated correction of a flawed policy that should have ended immediately after the attacks. The prolonged delay underscores the need for a formal investigation into these decisions. Dr. Yoel Guzansky, a Gulf expert and senior researcher at the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS), authored the analysis.