Bennett: Qatar more dangerous to Israel today than Iran; has access to PM's office

In a Times of Israel liveblog entry from early August 2026, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett reiterated his stark assessment that Qatar represents a more dangerous threat to Israel than Iran at the present moment. The remarks, part of a broader interview, focused particularly on the Qatargate scandal and what Bennett described as Qatar's improper access to the Israeli Prime Minister's office through financial relationships with senior aides. Bennett accused Qatar of funding the Nukhba force, the elite Hamas unit responsible for the October 7, 2023 attacks, and of operating Al Jazeera as what he termed a 'poisonous cancer' spreading anti-Israel propaganda worldwide. He also pointed to Qatar's extensive financial influence in American universities, where the emirate's billions have reshaped academic discourse on the Middle East. The liveblog entry captures Bennett's escalating rhetoric against Doha, coming amid his political campaign and a series of similar statements in late July and early August 2026. Bennett's pledge to declare Qatar an enemy state if re-elected signals a potential fundamental shift in Israel's approach to the Gulf state, which has long been tolerated as a mediator in hostage negotiations despite its hosting of Hamas leaders and documented financial support for extremist organizations.