Former Israeli PM Pledges to Declare Qatar an 'Enemy State' Over Terror Funding

As reported by the Times of Israel and verified by regional security sources, former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett launched a scathing critique of Qatar on July 27, 2026, pledging to formally designate the Gulf monarchy as an 'enemy state' if he returns to office. Speaking at the Institute for National Security Studies, Bennett accused Qatar of being a 'violent antisemitic cancer' that has spent decades building a global network of influence to undermine Western democracy and Israeli security. According to Bennett, Qatar’s involvement in the Gaza Strip, often framed as humanitarian mediation, was actually a primary 'artery' for funding Hamas’s military infrastructure, including the attacks of October 7, 2023. Bennett alleged that 'Netanyahu’s suitcases of cash'—a reference to the Qatari-funded payments allowed into Gaza—directly facilitated the massacre of civilians. The report also highlights Bennett’s claims regarding 'Qatargate,' an ongoing investigation into allegations that Qatari agents paid bribes to top aides within the Israeli Prime Minister’s office to influence public relations and policy. As reported by Bennett, these 'metastases' extend beyond the Middle East into Western universities, where Qatar has allegedly invested billions to shape the political discourse of the younger generation against Israel. Bennett also cited intelligence reports suggesting that Qatar continues to fund extremist groups including the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and the Al-Qaeda-affiliated Al-Nusra Front. In response, the Qatari Embassy in Washington described Bennett's statements as 'disinformation' intended for political gain. However, Bennett insisted that Qatar’s dual role as a U.S. ally and a host to terror leadership makes it a uniquely dangerous regional actor that must be held accountable for its financial and ideological support of extremism.