The Qatari elephant in the room

The top leaders of Hamas live in Doha, where they are protected, pampered and celebrated by the Qatari regime.

The Emir of Qatar and the leader of Hamas

Three days ago, militants from the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas launched a large-scale invasion against several Israeli communities on the Gaza border, proceeding to massacre an untold number of Israeli civilians, indiscriminately butchering women, children, and the elderly.

Early reporting on the massacre continues to investigate the possibility that the invasion was planned, directed, and funded by the regime that rules Iran, which has long acted as a financial and political benefactor for Palestinian jihadists and several of Israel’s additional neighboring jihadist entities.

While much attention in U.S. political circles has been paid to Iran, notably, lots of policymakers and influential D.C. actors and organizations are failing to mention the Qatari elephant in the room.

The political leadership of Hamas does not live in Gaza, nor do they live in Tehran. They live in Qatar, one of the richest countries in the world, where they are protecting by the jihadist-allied regime in Doha.

In the aftermath of the massacre, the leaders of Hamas were spotted in Doha celebrating and praying for the success of their holy warriors.

Surrounded by several additional Hamas officials, Ismail Haniyeh, the leader of Hamas, declared that “the cycle of intifadas and revolutions in the battle to liberate our Palestinian land” will continue, adding that his jihadist fighters are targeting Jerusalem too.

The government of Qatar then released a statement expressing its solidarity with Hamas, asserting that the civilian-targeting massacre committed by Hamas was Israel’s fault, declaring Israeli victims “solely responsible” for the Hamas savagery.

Thanks in part to a massive, well funded influence operation in the West, the Qatari regime has succeeded in branding itself in western circles as an intermediary force that can help to negotiate between jihadists and western governments. Of course, that couldn’t be further from the truth.

Qatar is not only protected by its army of lobbyists, which include former U.S. military officials who have sold their soul for jihadi blood money, Doha is geopolitically protected by the Al Udeid Air Base southwest of Doha, which hosts the U.S. Air Force and other foreign air forces.

What often remains unspoken, through the fog of Qatar’s well-funded influence campaign, is the reality that these jihadist forces are protected, celebrated, and advanced by Doha. It’s not difficult to discover Qatar’s longtime funding and arming of several internationally recognized terrorist organizations.

The Qatari royal family also owns the influential Al Jazeera media network. Since its inception, its Arabic hosts have taken to promoting violence and terrorism. Several current on air hosts have even celebrated suicide bombers as holy “martyrs.” Prior to its western facing redesign, the network was known for glorifying Osama bin Laden and other high level terrorist leaders.

This of course puts the Israelis and their allies in a tough spot. They know that the heads of the Hamas political hydra are not in Gaza, but scattered throughout 5 star luxury properties in Doha.

The leaders of the group that committed the worst mass murder campaign against the Jewish people since the Holocaust are living like kings in Doha, without a care in the world, protected by a ruling family that cheers on their carnage.

The United States does not have an extradition treaty with Qatar, but it would not be much of a political burden to put a lot of pressure on Doha to stop protecting the genocidal barbarians who lead Hamas. At the very least, more American leaders should be informed about this unjust jihadist protection racket in Doha.