Israeli minister: Qatar should quit as Hamas mediator "Wolf in sheep's clothing"

Israel's Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat expressed in an interview with foreign media that Qatar should promptly withdraw from its role as a mediator in ceasefire talks with Hamas, Caliber.Az reports.

Instead, he advocated for Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates to take over as intermediaries.

During an interview in Jerusalem on June 26, Barkat stated, "We must remove Qatar and bring in the Emirates and Saudis."

He criticized Qatar as "the largest sponsor of terrorism," alleging that 90% of global terrorist funding originates from Qatar, citing groups like the Taliban, ISIS, Hamas, and Hezbollah as recipients.

Barkat suspects Qatar of acting like a "wolf in sheep's clothing" that is not accurately sharing information during the negotiation process with Hamas. But unlike Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the UAE are able to collaborate well with a democracy, according to the minister.

"I see that their vision, which is aligned with our vision, and the Japanese vision, and the vision of the West," said Barkat.

Barkat, a member of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party known for his firm stance on Palestinian issues, served as mayor of Jerusalem for a decade before assuming his current role.