Qatar has become a main negotiator for the release of Israeli and non-Israeli hostages held by Hamas in Gaza. The tiny Emirate has led mediation efforts in Afghanistan, Iran and Ukraine in recent years. From helping the U.S. evacuate 58,000 people after the Taliban takeover in 2021 to brokering a prisoner swap deal between the U.S. and Iran, Qatar has been involved. 

WSJ’s Shelby Holliday explains how the Gulf nation became a diplomatic powerbroker.
 
0:00 Qatar negotiating release of hostages
0:37 Qatar’s influence
1:47 Qatar’s diplomatic track record
3:16 Qatar’s troubled relationships
3:56 What’s next?

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As the war rages over here in Gaza, mediation efforts are being led by Qatar, a tiny peninsula on the Persian Gulf, 1,100 miles away.

The country has used its close ties with both Hamas and the West to negotiate the release of hostages from Gaza and get others out through the border crossing with Egypt.

It's just the latest example of Qatar's important role on the world stage.

Evacuate thousands of people from Afghanistan to brokering a prisoner swap deal between the U.S.

Here's how Qatar became such an important player in global diplomacy.

Qatar's location and economic clout make it strategically important to a lot of different countries.

It shares its only land border with Saudi Arabia, a major power in the Middle East.

And it shares the world's largest natural gas field right here with Iran, Saudi's biggest regional rival.

Exports of liquefied natural gas have made Qatar 1 of the wealthiest countries in the world, boosting its influence in this volatile region.

This has made Qatar a critical energy partner for a lot of countries, especially those in Europe, because the continent has been reducing its reliance on Russian oil and gas.

Qatar is also important to the United States, and right here is the biggest U.S.

It's been a launching pad for operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

Qatar has also made itself influential in the broader region through Al Jazeera, the largest news media network in the Middle East.

But it has been criticized in both the Arab world and the West for its sometimes controversial coverage of uprisings, wars, and other conflicts.

For example, the network broadcast video messages from Osama bin Laden after 9-11.

Nevertheless, Qatar prides itself on being a meeting place for diverse viewpoints, which was on full display when the country hosted the World Cup last year.

Recently wrote an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal claiming that Qatar is the Mideast's honest broker.

In the 1980s and 90s, the country's leaders developed relationships with Iran as well as regional groups like Hamas in the Palestinian Territories and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, groups that are considered terrorist organizations in some parts of the world.

It also fostered ties with the Afghan Taliban.

In 2013, the Taliban opened a political office in Qatar with support from the U.S.

Years of negotiations in Doha led to a deal in 2020 for U.S.

Troops to withdraw from Afghanistan, ending America's longest war.

But the agreement didn't bring peace to the country.

The Taliban never reached a power-sharing agreement with the Afghan government, and it seized control of Kabul in 2021.

Citizens in the aftermath, and it is now Washington's diplomatic representative in the country.

Hamas also opened a political office in Qatar in 2012 after a request by the Obama administration to establish indirect lines of communication.

And Qatar has provided financial aid to Palestinians in Gaza, which is run by Hamas.

That has led to accusations of funding terrorism, which Qatar denies.

Qatar's complex web of relationships has caused friction with its neighbors.

In 2017, it was blockaded by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt.

They accused Doha of meddling in their domestic affairs, supporting extremist groups, and being too close to regional rival Iran.

The 4 countries issued a list of demands, including shutting down Al Jazeera and reducing ties with Tehran.

Even though Qatar didn't make concessions, the blockade ended in January of 2021, and the terms of the deal haven't been made public.

Although the countries reestablished relations, some analysts say that the root causes of that diplomatic crisis haven't been resolved.

Today, Qatar's diplomatic relationships are in the spotlight once again, with the country negotiating the release of hostages taken from Israel into Gaza by Hamas.

But Qatar said that without a pause in the fighting in Gaza, its mediators won't be able to do their work.

It's a very, very difficult negotiation that we've been dealing with.

I always say that 1 of the most difficult mediation is a difficult between 2 parties that have 0 confidence in each other.

Israeli officials have said that Qatar's efforts are crucial at this time, But so far, only a few hostages have been released.

And when the crisis is over, many of Qatar's partners want it to expel Hamas leaders from the country.

That includes more than 100 members of Congress who signed a letter to President Biden.

Qatar said that the political office of Hamas will remain open as long as it can be used toward peace.

Some diplomats worry that those Hamas leaders could move somewhere more hostile to the West, like Iran or Syria.

That could make any communication between Hamas, Israel and the West even more complicated in situations like the 1 that is currently unfolding in the Middle East.


Speaker 0: As the war rages over here in Gaza, mediation efforts are being led by Qatar, a tiny peninsula on the Persian Gulf, 1,100 miles away. The country has used its close ties with both Hamas and the West to negotiate the release of hostages from Gaza and get others out through the border crossing with Egypt. It's just the latest example of Qatar's important role on the world stage. From helping the U.S. Evacuate thousands of people from Afghanistan to brokering a prisoner swap deal between the U.S.

And Iran. Here's how Qatar became such an important player in global diplomacy. Qatar's location and economic clout make it strategically important to a lot of different countries. It shares its only land border with Saudi Arabia, a major power in the Middle East. And it shares the world's largest natural gas field right here with Iran, Saudi's biggest regional rival.

Exports of liquefied natural gas have made Qatar 1 of the wealthiest countries in the world, boosting its influence in this volatile region. This has made Qatar a critical energy partner for a lot of countries, especially those in Europe, because the continent has been reducing its reliance on Russian oil and gas. Qatar is also important to the United States, and right here is the biggest U.S. Military base in the Middle East. It's been a launching pad for operations in Afghanistan, Iraq, and Syria.

Last year, the U.S. Made Qatar a major non-NATO ally. Qatar has also made itself influential in the broader region through Al Jazeera, the largest news media network in the Middle East. But it has been criticized in both the Arab world and the West for its sometimes controversial coverage of uprisings, wars, and other conflicts. For example, the network broadcast video messages from Osama bin Laden after 9-11.

Nevertheless, Qatar prides itself on being a meeting place for diverse viewpoints, which was on full display when the country hosted the World Cup last year. And its ambassador to the U.S. Recently wrote an opinion piece in the Wall Street Journal claiming that Qatar is the Mideast's honest broker. In the 1980s and 90s, the country's leaders developed relationships with Iran as well as regional groups like Hamas in the Palestinian Territories and the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, groups that are considered terrorist organizations in some parts of the world. It also fostered ties with the Afghan Taliban.

In 2013, the Taliban opened a political office in Qatar with support from the U.S. And Afghan governments. Years of negotiations in Doha led to a deal in 2020 for U.S. Troops to withdraw from Afghanistan, ending America's longest war. But the agreement didn't bring peace to the country.

The Taliban never reached a power-sharing agreement with the Afghan government, and it seized control of Kabul in 2021. Qatar helped to evacuate U.S. Citizens in the aftermath, and it is now Washington's diplomatic representative in the country. Hamas also opened a political office in Qatar in 2012 after a request by the Obama administration to establish indirect lines of communication. And Qatar has provided financial aid to Palestinians in Gaza, which is run by Hamas.

That has led to accusations of funding terrorism, which Qatar denies. Qatar's complex web of relationships has caused friction with its neighbors. In 2017, it was blockaded by Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, and Egypt. They accused Doha of meddling in their domestic affairs, supporting extremist groups, and being too close to regional rival Iran. The 4 countries issued a list of demands, including shutting down Al Jazeera and reducing ties with Tehran.

Even though Qatar didn't make concessions, the blockade ended in January of 2021, and the terms of the deal haven't been made public. Although the countries reestablished relations, some analysts say that the root causes of that diplomatic crisis haven't been resolved. Today, Qatar's diplomatic relationships are in the spotlight once again, with the country negotiating the release of hostages taken from Israel into Gaza by Hamas. But Qatar said that without a pause in the fighting in Gaza, its mediators won't be able to do their work.

Speaker 1: It's a very, very difficult negotiation that we've been dealing with. I always say that 1 of the most difficult mediation is a difficult between 2 parties that have 0 confidence in each other.

Speaker 0: Israeli officials have said that Qatar's efforts are crucial at this time, But so far, only a few hostages have been released. And when the crisis is over, many of Qatar's partners want it to expel Hamas leaders from the country. That includes more than 100 members of Congress who signed a letter to President Biden. Qatar said that the political office of Hamas will remain open as long as it can be used toward peace. Some diplomats worry that those Hamas leaders could move somewhere more hostile to the West, like Iran or Syria.

That could make any communication between Hamas, Israel and the West even more complicated in situations like the 1 that is currently unfolding in the Middle East.

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How Qatar Became the World’s Lead Hostage Negotiator | WSJ