Netanyahu’s party seeks bill to label Qatar ‘terrorism sponsor’ to block its mediation role

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud Party has submitted a bill to the Knesset seeking to bar Qatar from mediating in negotiations involving Israel by officially labelling it a “state sponsor of terrorism.”

According to the Hebrew-language newspaper Haaretz, Likud Knesset Member Moshe Saada introduced the bill, which targets Qatar’s role in mediating talks with Hamas. The proposed law would prohibit any country labelled a “supporter of terrorism” from donating funds to Israel or engaging in trade with it.

The draft law states that “for nearly twenty years, Qatar has acted like a wolf in sheep’s clothing,” and claims that “Qatar is the world’s largest investor in terrorism, supporting the Taliban, Islamic State, Hamas, and Hezbollah.”

The bill gives the head of the Israeli government the authority to designate any state as one that is “supporting terrorism” if it provides “funding, training, equipment or other support for terrorist activities carried out in Israeli-controlled areas or against Israelis and Jews throughout the world.”

The legislation also proposes the creation of a dedicated unit within Israel’s National Security Council to lead efforts against states accused of supporting terrorism. This unit would be responsible for “gathering intelligence and coordinating governmental and diplomatic efforts to confront such states.”

Earlier this month, Netanyahu criticised Qatar, dismissing its role in efforts to broker a ceasefire in Gaza and accusing it of “playing both sides with its double talk”.