The man behind Israel’s enemies: Qatar’s former Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa dies at 74

Qatar’s former Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, whose rule from 1995 until the handover of power to his son in 2013 saw the rapid transformation of the tiny Gulf emirate into a regional powerhouse and a strident, though covert opponent of Israel, passed away at age 74 on Sunday.

When Hamad seized power from his father in a coup in 1995, Qatar was a gas-rich but politically meaningless appendage of the “brotherly” kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

However, together with his wife Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, he initiated a series of power moves that safeguarded the gas riches through an alliance with the U.S., while initiating ties with the worst terror groups and regimes in the region, which catapulted the emirate into a key position in international diplomacy.

Among Hamad’s trademark moves were investments into the gas exporting industry which increased the gross domestic product by a factor of 24; buying up so much London real estate that one newspaper quipped (probably truthfully) that he owned more than the Queen; creating the Arab world’s most dominant media empire in Al Jazeera; and leveraging sports for power by buying Paris-based soccer giant PSG Saint Germain and hosting the World Cup in 2022.

The financial, diplomatic and media power generated by these moves was invested directly into support for terror groups like Hamas, Hezbollah, the Taliban and the Muslim Brotherhood, while Al Jazeera impregnated generations across the Arab world with anti-Israel and antisemitic propaganda.

At the same time, Qatar always maintained a façade of diplomatic outreach to the Jewish state, keeping the support for terror groups always under the radar, or justifying it under purported humanitarian concerns.

From Israel’s perspective, Hamad’s legacy can be best surmised by analyzing the condolences that have flooded the emirate since Sunday.

Most notably, Qatar has become the main funder and supporter of Hamas in recent years, though the basis for the relations was laid by Hamad.

Hamas’ senior leadership and political bureau (Politburo) have been residing in Qatar’s capital of Doha since they left Syria in the wake of the Arab Spring in 2012. Especially during the ongoing war, Al Jazeera has become the official mouthpiece for Hamas' statements and propaganda videos, and the IDF has since revealed that several of its (Hamas') “journalists” worked for the channel.

“He was the architect of Qatar's ties with Hamas,” wrote Russel A. Shalev, an Israeli scholar, in a post on 𝕏. “In 1999, the former Emir first invited four leaders of the terrorist organization, including Khaled Meshaal, to Doha. Qatar's involvement deepened significantly in the 2000s, especially following Hamas’s victory in the 2006 elections.”

Many of the Arab-language obituaries highlighted the fact that Hamad was “the first Arab leader to visit the besieged Gaza Strip [in 2012], in addition to his visit to Lebanon after the 2006 war, where he confirmed Qatar's support for reconstruction and stability,” as Israeli Qatar expert Dr. Ariel Admoni wrote on 𝕏.

סוכת אבלים הוקמה בעזה לכבוד אמיר קטר הקודם לצד תמונות הנייה בדרך שמבהירה שחמאס עשה זאת לשם ריצוי קטר ושימור סמל הנוכחות שלה על אף ההתחייבות לפירוקה (שקטר כביכול משתתפת בו כמתווכת). https://t.co/PdS3GxSoQw

— Ariel Admoni (@arieladmoni) July 12, 2026

Commenting on footage of the mourner’s tent erected in Hamas-controlled Gaza, Admoni said this “clarifies that Hamas did this to curry favor with the [current] Emir and preserve the symbol of its presence despite the commitment to dismantle it (in which the Emir is supposedly participating as a mediator).”

Admoni also noted that the coverage of the Qatari Al-Arab outlet “not only avoids mentioning Hamas by name, it also mentions—alongside Hamad's visit to Gaza in 2012—his 1998 visit with Yasser Arafat, apparently in an attempt to create a balance in order to preserve Qatar's status as a mediator that supposedly helps Trump achieve the goal of dismantling Hamas.”

The Palestinian Authority’s ambassador to Qatar also stressed that Hamad was “a constant supporter of the Palestinian cause.” This, Admoni added, is “a demonstration of the fact that Qatar is [behind] not only Hamas but also the Palestinian Authority, and what unites this trio is hatred of Israel.”

Not to be outdone, Hezbollah also sent condolences, recalling “the unique visit of the late Emir to the Dahiya (district) of Beirut and to Bint Jbeil, a testament to his love for the Lebanese people, and we appreciate his positions that supported Arab and Islamic issues, foremost among them the Palestinian issue and the right to resistance of the Palestinian people.”

“The 2006 visit, during which Qatar transferred funds to Hezbollah under the framework of ‘humanitarian’ assistance that bypassed the government, illustrates a pattern that has not disappeared to this day (as reflected in Al-Akhbar's reports about Qatar serving as a channel for conveying messages) and explains why Hezbollah is sending condolences,” Admoni explained in another post on 𝕏.

Condolence Message from the Prime Minister on the Passing of the Father of the Amir of the State of Qatar

In the Name of Allah, the Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful

On the passing of His Highness Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, the former Amir of the brotherly State of… pic.twitter.com/3kfzmBVu7X

— Hamdullah Fitratحمدالله فطرت (@FitratHamd) July 12, 2026

The Afghani Taliban Prime Minister sent the message that Hamad “played a historic and unforgettable role in helping bring an end to the prolonged war in Afghanistan by hosting the negotiations” between the Taliban and the U.S.

But rather than highlighting Hamad’s moves against Israel, its ostensible friends in the West condoled Qatar with extraordinary warmth.

The King and Queen of Great Britain likewise said they were “deeply saddened,” noting that Hamad’s “leadership, vision and commitment to the welfare of the Qatari people were widely admired, both within Qatar and around the world.”

French President Emmanuel Macron—who at that time had not sent condolences on the passing of passionate transatlantic advocate, U.S. Sen. Lindsey Graham—wrote on 𝕏 that “Sheikh Hamad lived as a giant; today he becomes a legend.”

“A visionary man in service to the aspirations of his people, he was the tireless architect of Qatar's spectacular modernization in all domains and made his country a globally recognized and respected actor,” Macron wrote.