The authorities of Qatar have responded this Monday to an article from the American magazine 'The New Yorker' about a supposed Qatari funding to the Islamic Resistance Movement (Hamas), a text that from Doha they consider "forged and fabricated information" and regarding which they are "evaluating all relevant legal options to prevent the continued dissemination of this false information."
According to the statement released by the International Media Office of the State of Qatar, "The accusations raised by 'The New Yorker' in its article published on September 19 are based on forged and fabricated information," and the report in question "resembles more a fan blog than a report from a prestigious publication like 'The New Yorker'." "We reject these accusations in the strongest terms," emphasizes the note.
The Qatari government particularly questions the reference to leaked documents in 2021 by the French portal Blast, which would point to alleged payments from Doha to Israeli politicians —including the current Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu—, to French public figures, and to claimants in legal proceedings in the United Kingdom, among other recipients.
The article itself from 'The New Yorker' includes Qatar's denial of the authenticity of those documents, as well as a statement in which the authorities of the Gulf country assert that they have "solid evidence that, for several years, various parties, including sectors of the Israeli far-right, have participated in the dissemination of forged documents through the media in order to incriminate Qatar."
The Qatari Media Office claims to have sent the American magazine "clear evidence" that those papers and "other documents supporting their claims were false."
"Their decision to proceed despite this is deeply concerning and raises serious doubts about their editorial judgment and their willingness to intentionally amplify an ongoing disinformation campaign against Qatar," laments the agency, which recalls that other media, after receiving similar evidence, "correctly chose not to proceed with publication."
In this context, Doha insists that "it has solid evidence that, for several years, various parties, including sectors of the Israeli far right, have participated in the creation and dissemination of false documents through the media in order to incriminate Qatar." "This includes false accusations that Qatar has sent money to Hamas," emphasizes the statement.
In the face of these accusations, the Qatari government maintains that its support "has been directed to Palestinian civilians in Gaza through mechanisms coordinated with the Israeli authorities and international partners," using channels through which "all financial assistance, as well as goods such as food, medicine, and fuel, passed through Israel before entering Gaza."
"Nothing was delivered without Israel's participation at every stage of the process," insists the Media Office, which details that this aid to the Strip has been articulated "over many years under successive Israeli governments and with the participation of Israel's security agencies."
Therefore, Doha asserts that, "if any funds reached Hamas, it had nothing to do with Qatar," and that "in fact, the responsibility would fall on Israel, which oversaw the delivery (...) through various agencies, including Mossad and Shin Bet."
The statement also denounces the persistence of "false accusations about Qatar in an attempt to undermine our role as a mediator and hinder efforts to achieve peace in the region." According to Doha, "The actors behind this campaign do not want peace," as "their political survival depends on chaos and division in the region, and Qatar's role as a mediator poses a threat to that."
In this regard, Qatar calls "on all media to remain vigilant against the disinformation spread by those seeking to obstruct the pursuit of peace" in the Middle East, and reminds information professionals of their "responsibility to maintain rigorous standards of verification and analysis, especially when reporting on complex geopolitical issues," in a media context dominated by "sensationalism and 'clickbait'."
Regarding 'The New Yorker' and the report in question, Qatari authorities conclude that they are "evaluating all relevant legal options to prevent the continued dissemination of this false information and ensure that the public is not misled."