Former Israeli PM Naftali Bennett Urges Declaring Qatar an Enemy State and Launching Coordinated Pressure Campaign

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has stated that he would declare Qatar an enemy and direct Israel’s security agencies to gather intelligence and prepare plans as part of a wider diplomatic, economic, and public pressure campaign if he returns to power.

Speaking in a recent interview, Bennett clarified that he was not calling for military strikes, but rather for treating the country as an adversary. He stated that intelligence should be gathered to initiate a comprehensive campaign involving public opinion, economic measures, and diplomacy, while collaborating with regional partners such as Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt.

These comments build on similar declarations made by Bennett in July regarding Israel's upcoming election. Throughout his campaign for a political comeback, Bennett has repeatedly accused Qatar of financing Hamas and attempting to influence public opinion abroad.

In response to his earlier remarks, Qatar’s Media Attaché in the United States, Ali Al-Ansari, accused Bennett of deliberately spreading disinformation to advance his political ambitions.