The Great Mediator? How Qatar Claimed Its Role In Hostage Talks

The small Gulf state of Qatar is mediating a potential truce agreement between Israel and Hamas involving the release of hostages.

- Patrick Wintour

While many countries in the Middle East aspire to the role of mediator - Egypt, Oman and Kuwait among them - Qatar presents itself as the region's primary problem solver and advocate of dialogue. It has been active in Ukraine, Lebanon, Sudan, Iran, Afghanistan and Gaza, in the process hosting the leadership of the Taliban and the political wing of Hamas, among other groups.

Observers say Qatar takes on this role since, as a small but fabulously wealthy country built on vast supplies of natural gas, it needs to make itself indispensable to the international community and to protect itself from unwelcome interventions by its larger neighbours, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates.

The 2017-21 boycott of Qatar led by Saudi Arabia, and designed to end Qatar's independent diplomatic role, showed it has good reasons to be fearful.

Critical voices on the American right and in parts of Israel are unhappy about Qatar's role in the conflict. Among some, Qatar is seen as using its mediatory role to play the cards handed to it by Hamas on the battlefield.

The North Carolina Republican senator Ted Budd wrote on X this week: "For weeks, Qatar's foreign ministry has claimed to be close' to negotiating a deal for the release of hostages held by Hamas - including American hostages.

"How long will Qatar continue to host terrorists with American blood on their hands?"

Gershon Baskin, an Israeli hostage negotiator who has dealt directly with Hamas, challenged Qatar at a recent Middle East Institute seminar.