In the Middle East, reactions to the Hamas offensive are mixed. The Arab Gulf states also do not escape this observation, while certain states such as Qatar and Egypt are trying to contribute to calming down, which seems unlikely in the near future given the scale of the conflict.
Published on: October 10, 2023 – 11:39 am
4 mins
“No negotiations” are currently possible with Israel. A Doha-based Hamas official told AFP this Monday, October 9, on the third day of the Palestinian Islamist movement’s military offensive against Israel.
“The military operation continues and the resistance, led by the Al-Qassam Brigades (armed branch of Hamas), continues to defend the rights of our people, therefore no negotiations on the issue of prisoners or other issues with Israel are currently possible,” said Hossam Badrane, a member of Hamas’ political bureau in the Qatari capital. “Our mission now is to do everything possible to prevent the occupation from continuing to commit massacres against our people in Gaza directly target civilian homes. »
What role for Qatar?
But could Qatar, the country where the Palestinian movement’s office is located and has financial ties with it, play a role in a possible mediation? “Qatar contributed to this Replenishing Hamas coffers », recalls Hasni Abidi, director of the Center for Studies and Research on the Arab World and the Mediterranean, to AFP, in particular about the payment of salaries of public administration officials in Gaza.
In addition, “Doha, in agreement with the State of Israel, finances the survival of the Gaza Strip.” We therefore know that Qatar has the means to influence Hamas,” emphasizes Agnès Levallois, Vice President of the Mediterranean Middle East Research and Studies Institute, told AFP.
Doha, often referred to as a broker for the release of hostages in the region, could thus ccontribute to “joint efforts” with Egypt to restore calm in Israel, experts believe. However, Qatar explicitly stated that it considers “Israel’s sole responsibility for the current escalation.”
According to a source cited by Portal, Qatari mediators held emergency talks with Hamas representatives on Monday to try to negotiate the release of Israeli women and children captured by the movement and held in Gaza in return for the release of 36 Palestinian women and children from Israeli prisons.
The talks had made “some progress,” a source familiar with the matter told AFP, without giving further details.
Different reactions in other Middle Eastern countries
In other Middle Eastern countries, reactions are varied. The initial reaction from the United Arab Emirates, published this Saturday, was neutral. In fact, Abu Dhabi contented itself with calling for calm. This Monday, the Gulf monarchy said it was “shocked” by it Israeli civilians taken hostagereports our regional correspondent Nicolas Keraudren.
She also described “Hamas’ attacks on Israeli towns and villages (…) as a serious and serious escalation.” A position that the Kingdom of Bahrain has also joined.
These two Gulf states and Morocco are signatories of the Abraham Accords. These agreements, signed in 2020 under the auspices of the American administration of Donald Trump, establish the normalization of relations with the Jewish state.
This undoubtedly explains the different positions of the Arab Gulf states on the Hamas offensive. Although Saudi Arabia was in normalization negotiations with Israel, it accused “the Israeli occupying forces” of being the cause of “an explosive situation.”
Also read Hamas attack in Israel: “In this conflict, civilians on both sides are on the front lines”
(And with AFP)
Clashes between Hamas and the Israeli army. © RFI