JNS
US diplomacy in the shadow of Qatar
Andrew D. Lappin
May 30, 2025

Has Steve Witkoff, President Donald Trump’s appointed special U.S. Middle East envoy, been incontrovertibly corrupted by Qatar? The question is prompted by the stench of the proposed ceasefire with Hamas that was announced on May 29. Even though Hamas has been reduced to a toothless shell, the deal would have Israel agreeing to a ceasefire for 60 days and then withdrawing from strategic territory that it paid for, inch by inch, with the precious blood of Israeli soldiers and the broken hearts of the Israeli people. Paid for during a defensive war that definitively spoke to the most heinous violations of Western civilization since the Holocaust. READ MORE

FOUNDATION FOR DEFENSE OF DEMOCRACIES Qatar keeps purchasing political influence In 2017, Qatar dispatched lobbyists to build opposition against the Palestinian International Terrorism Support and Prevention Act, which identified Qatar as a sponsor of Hamas. Materials distributed by Qatari agents warned that the bill “erroneously and unfairly” targeted Qatar and had the potential to “chill the robust economic relationship between the U.S. and Qatar.” Whether because of Qatar’s efforts or not, the legislation never passed. Qatar’s efforts have continued amid the war in Gaza. Disclosures submitted to the U.S. Justice Department indicate that lobbyists on Qatar’s payroll engaged with offices in the House and Senate over 285 times between October 2023 and April 2024 on the issue of Qatar’s role in hostage negotiations.