Qatar attempting to distance itself from Hamas, looking to West, expert tells ‘Post’

Qatar is publicly distancing itself from Hamas and denying it knowingly funded the group, as attacks on its oil infrastructure push Doha to seek Western financial partnerships. Dr. Ariel Admoni, a researcher of Qatari policy, tells the Post that Qatar's vulnerability is showing and its rebranding effort is driven by reliance on American financial systems.

Qatar is publicly distancing itself from Hamas and denying it knowingly funded the group, as attacks on its oil infrastructure push Doha to seek Western financial partnerships. Dr. Ariel Admoni, a researcher of Qatari policy at Ariel University and the Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security (JISS), told The Jerusalem Post that Qatar's vulnerability is showing and its rebranding effort is driven by reliance on American financial systems. Qatar's International Media Office issued multiple statements rejecting accusations of directly funding Hamas, calling them a campaign by pro-Israel entities. Admoni noted a change in tone for a country that hosts Hamas's leadership and whose state-funded media has reportedly operated under a directive to portray Hamas sympathetically. Iran's attacks knocked out 17% of Qatari LNG in March 2026, causing an estimated $20 billion in lost annual revenue. Qatar's Prime Minister met with Alphabet and Microsoft executives, and the Qatar Investment Authority agreed to a $20 billion partnership with J.P. Morgan. Admoni maintained that he had not seen a drastic change in the West's attitude, which still seems willing to accept Qatar's peace-maker image.