Fmr PM Bennett: Qatar more dangerous to Israel than Iran

All Israel News, an outlet with an explicitly pro-Israel evangelical orientation, reported on August 2, 2026 that former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett delivered a strongly negative assessment of Qatar, calling it more dangerous to Israel than Iran and detailing a series of serious allegations against the Gulf state. Bennett accused Qatar of directly funding Hamas, including the Nukhba force responsible for the October 7, 2023 attacks, making Doha complicit in the deadliest assault on Jews since the Holocaust. He described Al Jazeera as a 'poisonous cancer' operating as Qatar's global propaganda instrument, spreading anti-Israel disinformation under the cover of legitimate journalism. Bennett highlighted Qatar's extensive influence operations in American universities, where billions in Qatari funding have reshaped Middle East studies departments and campus discourse to be hostile toward Israel. Most seriously, Bennett referenced the Qatargate investigation, alleging that Qatar had penetrated influential Israeli circles through payments to senior aides close to the Prime Minister, compromising Israel's national security from within. He vowed that if re-elected as prime minister, he would formally designate Qatar as an enemy state. The All Israel News coverage, while reflecting its editorial orientation, amplifies allegations that have been reported across multiple Israeli and international outlets, contributing to a growing body of critical scrutiny of Qatar's multifaceted influence operations and its role as both a mediator and a supporter of extremist organizations.