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Qatar reconsiders role as mediator in Israel-Hamas war
Insights from The Washington Post, The New York Times, and Arab News
The News
Qatar said it was reconsidering its role as a mediator in truce talks between Israel and Hamas.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani told a press conference in Doha that there was “exploitation and abuse of the Qatari role” in the negotiations, and that his country was caught in the middle of “point-scoring” between rival politicians who “are trying to conduct election campaigns by slighting the state of Qatar.”
Doha has played a key role in the ceasefire discussions, working with delegates from Egypt and the U.S. to bring an end to hostilities in Gaza.
SIGNALS
Waning optimism in Biden administration
U.S.-brokered negotiations had seemed to be nearing an agreement but those hopes are now fading, The Washington Post reported, adding there was “no fallback plan” for the Biden administration if this round of talks fails. Meanwhile, the U.S. government is facing mounting pressure at home to end the conflict, which has killed 33,000 Palestinians, many of them women and children, and placed the enclave on the brink of a manmade famine. Washington has promised to reevaluate aid to Israel by May 8, when it will review whether the nation has broken any U.S. or international laws during the war. “Were the White House to sign off on a clean bill of health, under current circumstances, it would probably increase the volume of domestic criticism,” the Post noted.
Israel preparing to retaliate against Iran despite Western warnings
Israel is planning on retaliating against Iran for its drone strikes over the weekend, despite pressure from the U.S. and other Western governments to show restraint. Tehran’s unprecedented attack was a response to a deadly strike on Iranian personnel in Syria, which killed a top official with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard. Diplomats from Group of 7 nations have warned Netanyahu against a new attack due to the risk of plunging the Middle East into a wider conflict. But the premier has seemingly rebuffed efforts to rein in his government: “They … have all kinds of suggestions and advice. I appreciate it. But I want to make it clear — we will make our own decisions,” Netanyahu said.
Netanyahu faces calls to step down, but that may not fix issues in Israel
Netanyahu’s opposition to key portions of peace negotiations — including a two-state solution and the installation of the Palestinian Authority as Gaza’s governing body — has led some critics to call for him to step aside. But Netanyahu’s replacement could be just as disappointing to officials in Washington pushing for such an outcome, Kerry Boyd Anderson wrote for Arab News. “Israeli leaders and the Israeli public are not interested [in a two-state solution] and Palestinians have learned to distrust any such promises,” she wrote. “Netanyahu’s departure from power on its own would not resuscitate any practicable long-term peace process.”
