Funded Hamas, fooled the West – The lethal legacy of Qatar’s late emir – opinion

The late Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, former ruler of Qatar, is being eulogized in Western capitals as a modernizer, but this narrative obscures his role as the architect of modern state-sponsored Islamism. After a 1995 coup, Sheikh Hamad used Qatar's vast natural gas wealth to gain influence, establishing the Al Udeid Air Base for the U.S. while simultaneously founding Al Jazeera, which served as a propaganda arm for the Muslim Brotherhood. He also provided significant financial support to Hamas, becoming the first foreign head of state to visit Gaza after Hamas took control in 2012, channeling billions to the group under the guise of humanitarian aid. Qatar, under his leadership, became a haven for exiled Islamists, including the Taliban, while presenting itself as a neutral mediator. This strategy, continued by his son Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, involves financing extremist movements and then offering to mediate, effectively marketing its complicity as a diplomatic asset. The article argues that the international community must hold Qatar accountable for its patronage of extremist networks.