Why Can’t Qatar Broker the Israel-Hamas Peace Treaty?

Jakarta –

The Qatari government said it was suspending efforts to establish a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas, as both sides were willing to negotiate.

Qatar is also reportedly under pressure from the United States to close Hamas branch offices in the country.

The small, wealthy country has built a place as a mediator in the Middle East, but now it is struggling to stop the war in Gaza.

How can Qatar become a peace mediator in the Middle East?

Qatar is a small country on the Persian Gulf with an area of ​​11,600 square kilometers, but it is a major exporter of natural gas and has the sixth largest per capita income in the world.

The Qatari government chose their role as international peacemakers. Over the past two decades, Qatar has brokered numerous ceasefires and peace agreements between warring parties in the Middle East, Europe and Africa.

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Qatar hosted talks between Israel and Hamas for a temporary ceasefire in November 2023, during which 105 Israeli hostages were exchanged for more than 240 Palestinian prisoners.

In 2020, Qatar brokered a peace deal between the Taliban and the US to end the two-decade-long war in Afghanistan. This ended with the US and its allies withdrawing troops and the Taliban regaining power in the country.

Qatar will also act as a mediator in a prisoner exchange deal between the US and Iran in 2023.

In the same year, Qatar mediated talks between Russia and Ukraine to return Ukrainian children taken from Ukraine to Russia during the conflict.

In 2022, Qatar broke a ceasefire between the Chadian government and 40 opposition groups, and in 2010 it oversaw a peace agreement between the Sudanese government and armed groups in the western region of Darfur.

Why did Qatar take on the role of peacemaker?

The Qatari government wrote the country’s role as a peacemaker into its constitution.

Article Seven states: “The foreign policy of the State is based on the principle of strengthening international peace and security by promoting the peaceful resolution of international disputes.”

Not only is Qatar a close ally of the US and hosts thousands of the country’s military personnel at the Al Udeid air base, but it has also allowed terrorist groups such as the Taliban and Hamas offices established in the country.

According to Dr. HA Hellyer of the Royal United Services Institute, a think tank based in the UK, this will allow Qatar to act as a bridge between political actors who do not want to talk directly to each other.

“Qatar is in a good position to reach out to groups like the Taliban and Hamas because they have never been in conflict with these groups,” he said.

“And because of the US military presence, representatives of these groups feel safe in Doha.” “

“They felt they could negotiate safely, free from assassination attempts.”

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“Being a practical negotiator who can solve problems is part of the country’s image,” said Dr Sanam Vakil of Chatham House, an international think tank based in the UK.

“Being a peace negotiator makes Qatar useful to the US, and it means that Qatar can align itself with the West. This also makes the region around it more secure and stable.” .”

Qatar has a team of highly trained diplomats monitoring the peace talks, said Dr Vakil. However, he said they were not always able to convince the warring parties to make a peace agreement or commit to a permanent ceasefire.

“Qatar has great experience in monitoring the end of conflict, when the cycle of violence has ended and both sides want peace,” he said.

“However, Qatar cannot end the conflict unless there is a will from both sides. “

Why does Qatar have a problem breaking the peace in Gaza?

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs has announced that it is suspending efforts to establish a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas.

However, they denied reports that the Hamas office in Doha would be closed.

The Israeli government has since criticized Qatar, accusing them of supporting Hamas and harboring terrorist groups.

However, according to Dr. Hellyer, “The Qatari government invited Hamas leaders to move their offices there from Damascus after falling out with the Syrian government in 2012. They did so in coordination with the US and, possibly , with Israel.”

He also explained that Qatar had previously helped Israel and Hamas reach a ceasefire agreement after previous conflicts, “but it was when both sides wanted to return to previous status quo.”

“This time is different,” said Dr. Vakil. “The Israeli government is more concerned with ensuring security than seeking peace. Continuing the war will help achieve their goals. Hamas only wants peace to survive. “

There is speculation that Hamas may leave Qatar and move its offices to Türkiye or Iran.

However, according to Dr Hellyer, Qatar is the safest place for its leaders, as long as they are allowed to stay there.

“When Ismail Haniyeh left Doha for Iran, Israeli forces quickly attacked him,” he said.

(eng/ita)