Qatar: a double game - bloody aid to Hamas and a US military base

Katar plays on two fronts, investing billions of dollars in luxury, soccer and funding suburban mosques. It plays a key role in resolving the conflict between Israel and Hamas. Qatar has become a mediator between the warring parties and has hopes of freeing hostages in the Gaza Strip. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken and Iran's foreign minister have traveled to Qatar in a matter of days. Qatar plays a two-sided game, which allows it to be attractive to interlocutors who would not normally engage in conversation. This policy is based on a few facts.

The first fact is the funding of Hamas.

Qatar is considered the main sponsor of Hamas, the movement ruling the Gaza Strip and responsible for the attacks''Oct. 7. Although Hamas is considered a terrorist organization by several Western countries, the Emir of Al-Thani provides Hamas with $30 million a year in funding and shelter in his skyscrapers for the movement's leaders. Doha is also home to Al Jazeera TV, the Arab world's most-watched voice. This policy has put Qatar at odds with other Arab states (Arabian Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Egypt) that have outlawed the interpretation of political Islam embodied by Hamas, and which cut off relations with Doha in 2017.

The second fact is the U.S. military base.

Katar, at first glance, might be labeled as a supporter of Palestinian extremists and an enemy of the West,''But it really isn't.

The third fact is the influence of luxury.

Qatar's soft power is manifesting itself in Europe through billions of dollars of investment. This prevents governments in Europe from coming into conflict with the Emir of Al Thani. In the UK, the Qatari sovereign fund controls stakes of between 20% and 25%''in major department stores Harrods, London's Heathrow Airport and Barclays Banking Group. In Germany, he has acquired a 17% stake in Volkswagen and a 6% stake in Deutsche Bank. Qatar is passionate about soccer: in addition to hosting the 2022 World Cup, it has invested in prestigious clubs such as Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain for years. Italy also falls under Qatar's radar: sheikh Al Hammadi, at the top of Qatar Investiments, has "bet" 5 billion euros on the real estate market, particularly in the Porta Nuova area.

The fourth fact is money for mosques.

The sacred and the secular: on the one hand Qatar invests millions of dollars in luxury and the ephemeral, and on the other hand it is the main supporter of the cult of Islam in Europe, trying to attract to itself economically''weaker sections of immigrants. The Qatar Charity Foundation under discussion funds Quran-inspired cultural centers and places of worship in all European countries with Muslim communities. In Italy alone, 30 million euros have been invested to purchase real estate or support religious and social activities.