Qatar's Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani ruled out on Wednesday the possibility of normalizing relations with Israel, or Syria – even as other Arab states take steps to integrate both, Axios reported.
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In an interview with the American news website, Thani stressed that Qatar "had previously maintained ties [with Israel] when there was prospects for peace" with the Palestinians, but that his country "lost hope" after the 2008-2009 Gaza conflict, known as Operation Cast Lead.
Doha continues its "working relationship" with Jerusalem "to help the Palestinian people," he said, adding it is "difficult to envision" joining the Abraham Accords "in the absence of a real commitment to a two-state solution."
Qatar maintains an ongoing engagement with Israel over aid to the Gaza Strip.
A major backer of Hamas, the terrorist group that controls the coastal enclave, Qatar has pledged some $360 million for Gaza's reconstruction following the last Hamas-Israel conflict in May 2021.
The Gulf energy-rich state has funneled some $1 billion into Gaza since 2012. Since 2018, it has been providing Hamas with monthly payments averaging $20 million, essentially covering Hamas salaries for its civil servants and providing monthly $100 stipends to scores of impoverished families.
On Syria, where Qatar armed rebels against Bashar Assad beginning in 2012, Thani said the conditions that led to the regime's suspension from the Arab League "have not changed" despite the warming of ties between Syria and countries like the UAE, Jordan, and Egypt.
He stressed that Assad should not be rewarded for his continued attacks on his own people, Axios reported.
Touching on the talks between World powers and Iran seeking to salvage the 2015 nuclear deal, Qatar's top diplomat said that Doah "is working hard to bridge any gaps" in the indirect talks held in Vienna.
He added that Qatar is "very concerned" about the negotiations ending in failure, adding, "We don't want to see a nuclear race in our region."
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