Qatar Hits Back At Israel Election Meddling Charge: ‘Israeli Leaders Using Us As Scapegoat To Hide Their Own Failure’

DOHA:Qatar has strongly rejected allegations that it interfered in Israel’s parliamentary elections, accusing Israeli politicians of using Doha as a scapegoat for their political failures.

 Foreign Ministry Spokesperson *Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al-Ansari said on X:

“We categorically deny allegations that Qatar has interfered in Israeli elections or funded any activities intended to influence their outcome. We reject accusations made by certain Israeli politicians and their contacts in media who launched yet another disinformation campaign aiming to drag Qatar into Israeli political disputes following this week’s elections.”

Qatar’s Counter-Attack:

 “They accuse Qatar of buying off Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli political left, and now, in this latest campaign, the Arab vote. If these claims were to be believed, Qatar would apparently own all of Israel.”

Called allegations “ridiculous and dangerous in equal measure” and “excessive obsession” with Qatar.

 “Qatar should not be used as a scapegoat for the political failures of certain Israeli politicians. Rather than shifting attention onto Qatar, they should focus on their voters, improving people’s everyday lives, and undoing damage they’ve created in region.”

Said this is internal Israeli matter, Doha will not accept being dragged in.

Will not distract Qatar from its role as mediator in Gaza and US-Iran talks.

Context:

 Allegations emerged after Likud claimed Arab parties stole election with bribery, threats, violence, forgery and prohibited voter-mobilization software, and without evidence linked surge in Arab turnout (historic 19 seats) to Qatari funding for organizations boosting Arab vote.

CEC Head Supreme Court Justice Noam Sohlberg asked Shin Bet to investigate suspicions of foreign funding, calling them serious but unsubstantiated. Acting CEC Director General Dean Livne rejected claims of widespread fraud as baseless, saying vote was conducted lawfully.

Israeli President Isaac Herzog also warned against stigmatizing entire Arab Israeli community who voted at unprecedented rates.

Irony: Netanyahu himself faces scrutiny over alleged Qatari payments to two of his aides arrested last year (Qatargate), and his government for years tacitly supported Qatari funding for Hamas-ruled Gaza. Former PM Naftali Bennett said: “This morning when it serves his interests, Netanyahu remembered Qatar and is using it to sow chaos.”