Qatar slams the Shin Bet: Don't scapegoat us, we did nothing wrong

In a rare and sharply worded rebuke, Qatar accused Israel’s Shin Bet security agency on Wednesday of peddling “false accusations” by linking the Gulf state’s humanitarian aid to the devastating Hamas attack on October 7, 2023.

The statement, issued by Qatar’s International Media Office, came less than 24 hours after the Shin Bet released an internal investigation asserting that Qatari funds funneled into Gaza had bolstered Hamas’s military capabilities, contributing to the assault that killed 1,200 people and saw 251 taken hostage.

Qatar, a longtime mediator between Israel and Hamas, framed the Shin Bet’s claims as a politically motivated distraction.

“At this critical juncture,” the statement read, “the Shin Bet and other Israeli security agencies should focus on saving the remaining hostages and finding a solution that ensures long-term regional security, rather than resorting to diversionary tactics such as scapegoating Qatar for political longevity.”

The Qatari response leaned heavily on its record. “The State of Qatar is a strong supporter of the Palestinian people,” it said, detailing years of aid—food, medicine, electricity—delivered to Gaza’s families. Every shipment, Doha insisted, was coordinated with Israel’s government and security apparatus, including the Shin Bet itself, alongside United Nations bodies like the World Food Program and the Office for Project Services. Fuel passed through the Kerem Shalom crossing, the only Israeli-designated entry for goods into Gaza, under strict oversight. “No aid has ever been delivered to Hamas’s political or military wing,” Qatar asserted, calling the accusations “entirely false” and a sign that “the accusers are intent on prolonging the war.”

The Shin Bet’s report, published yesterday (Tuesday), painted a different picture. Among the “primary reasons” for Hamas’s buildup, it cited “the infusion of Qatari funds and their transfer to the military wing for reinforcement.” The agency acknowledged its own failures—notably dismissing Hamas’s plans, known to them three years prior, as unrealistic—but pointed to Israeli policies that allowed cash-laden suitcases from Qatar into Gaza, a decision greenlit by successive governments to stabilize the enclave. That money, the report suggested, became a “strategic buttress” for Hamas’s deadly ambitions.

In Israel, the investigation has stirred a political maelstrom. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office fired back, accusing the Shin Bet of shirking responsibility—a charge echoed by critics who note that Ronen Bar, the agency’s chief, has vowed to stay until the hostages are freed. Meanwhile, the war grinds on, its human toll unyielding.

Qatar’s statement didn’t just defend—it deflected. “These are yet another example of deflection driven by self-interest and self-preservation in Israeli politics,” it charged, a swipe at a government facing domestic scrutiny over October 7’s failures. Yet Doha reaffirmed its mediation role, citing “belief in diplomacy as the only way forward for a better future for both Palestinians and Israelis.” That role, however, has frayed; last November, Qatar suspended talks after both sides refused to budge—Hamas demanding a permanent ceasefire, Israel insisting on dismantling the group entirely.

For now, the hostages remain the unspoken center. Qatar urged the Shin Bet to prioritize their rescue—a call that resonates in Israel, where families cling to fading hope. The agency’s report admitted that “if the Shin Bet had acted differently … the massacre would have been avoided.” As Doha and Jerusalem trade barbs, that admission hangs heavy, a reminder of stakes far beyond the rhetoric.

Ynet contributed to this article.