How Qatar Deceives America into Treating It Like an Ally

In this newsletter’s ongoing series on the threats posed to Israel and the U.S. by the small, fossil-fuel rich emirate of Qatar, we’ve pointed to the country’s propagandizing, its funding of Hamas, and its interference in American universities. This conversation does something different: it takes a comprehensive look at Doha’s strategic interests, and why it pretends to be America’s ally while flirting with its enemies. Speaking with Jamie Weinstein, Jonathan Schanzer explains that Qatar has benefitted from the Gaza war, and might well not want to see any more Israeli hostages released. He also puts to rest the canard that Qatar is hosting Hamas’s leaders only at Washington’s behest and tackles other difficult questions. (Audio, 40 minutes.)