Bennett Urges Netanyahu to Declare Qatar Enemy State at UN

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has called on current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to use his upcoming speech at the UN General Assembly to declare Qatar an enemy state. Bennett stated that both the coalition and opposition parties would support such a move, framing it as an opportunity to seek historical justice for the victims of the October 7th Hamas attack.

Bennett intends to present evidence to the UN Secretary-General that Qatar funded Hamas's military wing and was complicit in the October 7th massacre, alleging that Qatar celebrated the attack and encourages future violence. He asserted that Qatar is an enemy and the world should recognize and act accordingly.

This appeal comes roughly a month before Israeli elections and amidst ongoing suspicions regarding Netanyahu's advisors' involvement in the "Qatargate" affair. A recent investigative report suggested that as early as 2019, Netanyahu was informed that Qatari funds, which he had encouraged, were being directed towards Hamas's military buildup, with estimates indicating 40-50% of the military wing's budget originated from these funds. The report also indicated secret channels for additional funds and that Egypt had warned Israel, but Netanyahu allegedly ignored these concerns.

While Netanyahu has previously criticized Qatar, questioning its alignment with civilization and accusing it of spreading corruption in U.S. universities, he has stopped short of labeling it an enemy state. Bennett emphasized that Netanyahu's UN speech will be judged not by "boastful declarations" but by a "clear declaration of Qatar as an enemy state," warning that failure to do so allows Qatar to continue controlling Gaza and enabling Hamas to rearm and train for future attacks.