Israel Reveals Qatar’s Attempts at Rapprochement with US Jewish Lobby

A view shows buildings in Doha, Qatar. (Reuters)
A view shows buildings in Doha, Qatar. (Reuters)
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Israel Reveals Qatar’s Attempts at Rapprochement with US Jewish Lobby

A view shows buildings in Doha, Qatar. (Reuters)
A view shows buildings in Doha, Qatar. (Reuters)

The Israeli embassy in the United States voiced its rejection of Qatari official attempts to hold meetings with members of the Jewish lobby in the country.

The announcement was made amid media reports that American Jewish leaders had paid several visits to Doha.

"We oppose this outreach effort in the Jewish and pro-Israel community," said embassy spokesman Itai Bar Dov said according to the Israeli Haaretz daily on Wednesday.

He added that Qatar has been waging this campaign since mid-2017.

In mid-2017, Qatar began using the services of Nick Muzin, a Jewish-American public relations consultant, who had previously worked for Republican Senator Ted Cruz, reported Haaretz.

Muzin has arranged meetings between Qatar's senior leadership, including the country's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and leading figures in the Jewish community.

The Qatari outreach effort has been particularly successful among right-wing parts of the community and has also included non-Jewish, right-wing supporters of Israel, such as former Arkansas governor Mike Huckabee.

A number of those who had either visited Qatar or met with its leaders in the US claimed they had received blessing for their actions from Israeli officials. The embassy response to a question on this subject from Haaretz, made it clear that Israeli Ambassador to the US Ron Dermer had not expressed support for those meetings and visits.

"Anyone claiming that these trips received the ambassador's blessing is not saying the truth," the embassy spokesman said.

Since last summer, at least five leaders of Jewish-American organizations have visited Qatar and met with its leaders. On Monday, Haaretz revealed that Mort Klein, president of the Zionist Organization of America, visited Qatar in early January.

Klein spent five days in the Emirate and met with the Emir and with other senior officials, despite the fact that just last year, he had publicly denounced Qatar for supporting terrorism and called on the Trump administration to ban its official airline, Qatar Airways, from operating in the US.

Malcolm Hoenlein, the vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish American Organizations, has also visited Qatar recently.

The visits by Jewish leaders to Qatar have been met with strong criticism from within the Jewish community. Rabbi Shmuley Boteach, an Orthodox leader from New Jersey, published a number of articles criticizing the Jewish leaders who have gone to Qatar. One of them, published in November in Breitbart, carried the headline "Jewish Community for Sale to Qatar?"

Boteach wrote that "it has been dispiriting to watch how some in our community are seemingly up for sale. There has been no demand that before embracing Qatar they first stop funding Hamas terrorists. And those Jewish individuals hired by Qatar and accepting Qatari money are no doubt aware that their embrace will lessen the pressure on Qatar, which is currently experiencing a severe boycott because of its terror-funding activities.”



First Saudi Relief Plane Arrives in Syria to Aid Fire-affected Syrians in Latakia

This marks the 17th aircraft in the Saudi air bridge initiative, with this flight being the first dedicated to supporting the Syrian people - SPA
This marks the 17th aircraft in the Saudi air bridge initiative, with this flight being the first dedicated to supporting the Syrian people - SPA
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First Saudi Relief Plane Arrives in Syria to Aid Fire-affected Syrians in Latakia

This marks the 17th aircraft in the Saudi air bridge initiative, with this flight being the first dedicated to supporting the Syrian people - SPA
This marks the 17th aircraft in the Saudi air bridge initiative, with this flight being the first dedicated to supporting the Syrian people - SPA

The first Saudi relief plane landed at Aleppo International Airport in Syria, carrying urgent relief aid, including shelter materials for those affected by wildfires in Latakia Governorate. This aircraft marks the beginning of the Saudi air bridge operated by the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), in cooperation with the Ministry of Defense.

In a statement to the SPA, Advisor at the Royal Court and Supervisor General of KSrelief Dr. Abdullah bin Abdulaziz Al Rabeeah noted that this humanitarian assistance reflects the spirit of brotherly and humanitarian solidarity that characterizes the government of Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Crown Prince and Prime Minister. He noted that this marks the 17th aircraft in the Saudi air bridge initiative, with this flight being the first dedicated to supporting the Syrian people.

Dr. Al Rabeeah stressed that the Kingdom prioritizes humanitarian work as a core mission stemming from its noble values and long-standing generosity, and out of its belief that human dignity is a fundamental right for every individual on earth.

KSrelief also signed a cooperation agreement yesterday with the Syrian Ministry of Emergency and Disaster Management to provide essential equipment, supplies, and machinery needed to combat wildfires in the town of Kassab, in Latakia Governorate. The agreement aims to enhance the rapid and effective response capacity through technical and logistical support for field firefighting teams.

These humanitarian efforts are part of the Kingdom's ongoing commitment, through KSrelief, to easing the suffering of those affected and fulfilling its substantial humanitarian role in aiding the needy and disaster-stricken people worldwide.