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Bassem Eid: To Understand October 7, Look to Qatar
The personal belongings of festival-goers are seen at the site of an attack on the Nova Festival by Hamas terrorists from Gaza, near Israel’s border with the Gaza Strip, in southern Israel, Oct. 12, 2023. Photo: REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun
How did Hamas do it on October 7?
This time, I don’t mean to ask how they had so little humanity as to butcher over 1,200 innocents in Israel in a single day of horrors, the largest massacre of Jews since the Holocaust. Nor do I refer to the level of brainwashing or innate evil necessary to kill 370 young people at a dance party, to rape and genitally mutilate screaming women and girls, or to drag 250 hostages — including 12 Americans — back to Gaza.
No, at present, I am speaking of practical and, ultimately, financial capability: how was Hamas able to afford the trucks, the motorcycles, the assault weapons and grenades, the paragliders and massive tunnel networks that enabled their terroristic invasion on that black day? To a large extent, the answer can be found at a single address: Qatar, the absolute monarchy on the Arabian peninsula that is the beating heart of modern terrorism financing.
According to a newly revealed report by the Shin Bet, Israel’s internal security agency, one of the things that enabled Hamas to build up its forces for the October 7 onslaught was “the flow of money from Qatar to Gaza and its delivery to Hamas’s military wing.” This occurred in partnership with the better known bête noire of the United States and Israel in the Middle East — the rogue state of Iran — which has been officially designated as a State Sponsor of Terrorism by the US State Department since 1984. Overall, the Shin Bet determined that Hamas’s achievement of strike capacity “was to a large degree due to the strategic buttress provided by Iran and the use of the funds that came in from Iran and Qatar.”
What explains the deep involvement of Qatar in antisemitism and international terrorism? In a word: ideology.
Qatar’s official version of Islam is the stark form called Wahhabism. Since the 1990s, Qatar has positioned itself as the major funder of the radical front for Islamist political theocracy known as the Muslim Brotherhood throughout the Middle East and North Africa.
Hamas, which Qatar has heavily funded, is the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, and its 1988 founding charter commits it to the destruction of the State of Israel and the establishment of an Islamic theocracy in its place. Qatar was the primary physical residence and base for Hamas’s international leadership from 2012 until late 2024, when American pressure grew too great in the wake of the October 7 massacre.
Qatar’s reach stretches far beyond direct terrorism — its persuasive reach has astonishing access through Qatar’s state-owned media corporation, Al Jazeera. Al Jazeera has become a household name worldwide, and many Westerners are surprised to learn that the channel, which has provided media access for radical figures from Saddam Hussein to Osama bin Laden, is the property of the Qatari government and, as such, has never once voiced criticism of the Qatari state or its royal family.
Not only Israel but also several Arab states have scrutinized Qatar’s Al Jazeera for its platforming of Hamas, for which it provides highly slanted positive coverage and boosting.
So why is Qatar, a small maritime state, so powerful when it seems so vulnerable on a map? Because unlike Iran, with its regular “Death to America” chants, Qatar has never publicly positioned itself in opposition to the American-led international order. Far from it: the largest United States air base in the Middle East, al Udeid Air Base, which played a critical role in the fight against ISIS, is hosted by Qatar. The Qatari government has contributed billions of dollars to the base’s development. The United States military’s Central Command (CENTCOM), responsible for security in the Middle East and Central Asia, maintains its forward operating headquarters in Qatar.
Indeed, Qatar’s “soft power” globally, including in the United States, goes far beyond media reach or security cooperation. The wealthy Qatar Development Fund, a state-owned investment entity, has poured resources into critical and sensitive United States infrastructure. Notably, Qatar has invested billions in US higher education, with research indicating that Qatar-funded groups are behind many of the antisemitic and pro-Hamas “protests” that have roiled US campuses since Hamas launched its war on October 7, 2023. Much of this Qatari funding has not been reported to the US Department of Education, as required by law, with Yale University, for example, having allegedly concealed millions of dollars in Qatari investments that are believed to have fueled anti-Israel attitudes on campus.
Qatar is wealthy and powerful mainly because the United States and its allies have allowed it to be, and the consequences are now plain for all to see. Unlike Iran, Qatar is not a large, mountainous country with millions of inhabitants; it is a small, low-lying peninsula with a total population under 3 million, of whom about 90% are foreign noncitizens. It is an absolute monarchy whose ruling al Thani dynasty retains a complete monopoly on political power.
Now, it is upon the US Congress to designate Qatar for what it is — a major state sponsor of terrorism — and to impose sanctions on its ruling class. Doing so would compel change and dry up one of the primary financial sources of instability in today’s world. Failing to change the status quo risks leading to more horrors like those the Qatari-sponsored terrorists perpetrated in Israel on October 7, 2023.
Bassem Eid is a Jerusalem-based Palestinian political analyst, human rights pioneer and expert commentator on Arab and Palestinian affairs. He grew up in an UNRWA refugee camp. Follow him on X (formerly Twitter) @realbassemeid A version of this article was originally published by The Investigative Project on Terrorism.
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Israeli Cruise Ship Targeted Again as Pro-Palestinian Protests Escalate in Greece
Greek riot police clash with pro-Palestinian protesters near the port of Rhodes during a demonstration targeting an Israeli cruise ship. Photo: Screenshot
Pro-Palestinian protesters clashed with Greek riot police on Monday on the island of Rhodes as they attempted to block an Israeli cruise ship from docking at the island’s main port.
The MS Crown Iris — operated by Israeli cruise line Mano Maritime — was once again targeted by anti-Israel activists this week.
Demonstrations against the war in Gaza took place during the ship’s scheduled stop on the island, where more than 600 passengers were set to disembark.
According to videos circulating on social media, riot police can be seen confronting a group of pro-Palestinian protesters gathered near the dock, who shouted antisemitic slogans like “Freedom for Palestine.”
As authorities worked to control the crowd, tensions escalated and brief clashes broke out.
Ένταση στο λιμάνι της Ροδου με την άφιξη Ισραηλινών τουριστών, πολλες προσαγωγές.
Συνελήφθη υποψήφια βουλευτής της Πλεύσης ελευθερίας. pic.twitter.com/gAPnUnxu1A
— Ακροκεντρώος (@akrokentrwos_2) July 28, 2025
However, unlike a previous incident, passengers were able to disembark from the cruise ship without any major interruptions.
Last week, approximately 1,600 Israeli passengers expecting a peaceful stop on their cruise were unable to disembark from a ship docked on the island of Syros after a pro-Palestinian protest erupted at the port, raising safety concerns.
Around 300 protesters had gathered at the dock to protest against the war in Gaza, while Syros Port Authority police guarded the area and intervened to prevent violence until the ship departed.
Amid the large anti-Israel protest, the cruise company chose to divert the ship to Limassol, Cyprus.
In videos circulating on social media, protesters were seen waving Palestinian flags and holding banners with slogans such as “Stop the Genocide” and “No AC [Air Conditioning] in Hell,” while chanting antisemitic slogans.
Since the Hamas-led invasion of and massacre across southern Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, antisemitic incidents have surged to alarming levels across Europe. This recent incident appears to be just one of the latest in a wave of anti-Jewish hate crimes that Greece and other countries have witnessed in recent months.
Earlier this month in Athens, a group of pro-Palestinian activists vandalized an Israeli restaurant, shouting antisemitic slurs and spray-painting graffiti with slogans such as “No Zionist is safe here.”
The attackers also posted a sign on one of the restaurant’s windows that read, “All IDF soldiers are war criminals — we don’t want you here,” referring to the Israel Defense Forces.
Last month, an Israeli tourist was attacked by a group of pro-Palestinian activists after they overheard him using Google Maps in Hebrew while navigating through Athens.
When the attackers realized the victim was speaking Hebrew, they began physically assaulting him while shouting antisemitic slurs.
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Ritchie Torres Says Netanyahu Has Done ‘Irreparable’ Harm to Democratic Party Relationship With Israel
US Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY) standing at the US Capitol in February of 2023. Photo: Michael Brochstein/Sipa USA via Reuters Connect
Rep. Ritchie Torres (D-NY), one of Israel’s most vocal supporters in Congress, delivered pointed criticism of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday, saying the longtime leader has “done harm” to Israel’s relationship with the Democratic Party and called for an end to the war in Gaza.
“If you’re a Democrat, and if you’re a Democrat of color and if you’re a Black Democrat, you take immense pride in Barack Obama. He represents one of the greatest achievements in politics. We take great pride in his presidency,” Torres said in an interview with . “To see a foreign leader visibly disrespect him in the manner that Bibi Netanyahu did, I feel did irreparable damage to the relationship with the Democratic Party.”
Torres offered a gloomy assessment of Netanyahu’s relationship with the Democratic party, arguing that “the damage may be irreparable.” He also cautioned that support for the Jewish state is rapidly “eroding” according to various polls.
Furthermore, Torres stated that despite his strident support for Israel, he does not “consider myself having a good relationship with the Israeli government.”
Torres said that Netanyahu “made a terrible mistake” in establishing a cozy relationship with President Donald Trump and the Republican Party, arguing that the Israeli premier politicized the US-Israel relationship. The progressive lawmaker said that there is a “legitimate perception that the present Israeli government is just aligned with the Republican Party.”
The remarks represent a notable shift from Torres, a New York Democrat who has historically defended Israel amid bipartisan divisions over the war. While maintaining his commitment to Israel’s security, Torres said Netanyahu’s government has failed to articulate a clear endgame in Gaza and warned that the ongoing military campaign is undermining both humanitarian values and strategic interests.
“There’s a real need to end the war, secure the release of the hostages, bring humanitarian assistance to Palestinians in distress.”
Torres cited prominent Israeli journalists and media figures that have warned that Gaza has approached “catastrophic” levels of hunger and that famine might be looming without a rapid policy shift.
Torres’s comments come amid growing pressure from the Democratic base on centrist and progressive Democrats alike to take a firmer stance on Israel’s military operations, which have resulted in the deaths of more than 50,000 Palestinians, according to the Hamas-run Gaza Health Ministry. Israel launched its campaign following the October 7 Hamas attack that killed approximately 1,200 people and took over 200 hostages, according to Israeli officials.
Torres’s comments underscore a growing divide within the Democratic Party over the U.S.-Israel relationship. While the party remains broadly supportive of Israel’s right to defend itself, a significant faction ,including Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) and Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) condemned the war in Gaza and called for a suspension of U.S. military aid to Israel.
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Israeli Defense Firm Lands Huge Deal With Germany
An Elbit Systems Ltd. Hermes 900 unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) is seen at Elbit’s drone factory in Rehovot, Israel, June 28, 2018. Photo: REUTERS/Orel Cohen
On Monday, Elbit Systems Ltd., a military contractor based in Israel, announced it had received a $260 million government contract from Germany to spend six years installing Directional Infrared Counter Measures (DIRCM) self-protection systems for defending Germany’s A400M aircraft fleet.
The contract is just the latest in a string of blockbuster deals between Israeli defense firms and international militaries. Israeli defense exports to Europe jumped to 54% of overall defense exports last year, up from just over 33% in 2023, according to the Israeli media outlet Globes.
Elbit’s defense system works to counter infrared-guided missiles, with a focus on mobile anti-aircraft weapons. It offers the ability to track missile threats as they happen and also provides automatic protection without needed human action.
Other countries which have deployed the system include Israel, Germany, the Netherlands, Italy and Brazil. In February, Morocco announced plans to purchase 36 Atmos 2000 self-propelled artillery systems from Elbit, making Israel the country’s third largest weapons supplier.
“This contract further strengthens Elbit Systems’ position as a leading global provider of DIRCM solutions,” Elbit president and CEO Bezhalel Machlis said. “Our systems are already trusted by numerous air forces and defense organizations around the world, and we are proud to support Germany in enhancing the protection of their strategic air assets. Our successful collaboration with Airbus DS on this important program is highly valued, and we are pleased that our advanced self-protection systems will contribute to the safety and operational readiness of the German A400M fleet.”
The announcement prompted Elbit’s share price to jump 1 percent on the Tel Aviv Stock Exchange (TASE).
Since Israel’s 12-day war against Iran, Israel’s financial markets have been buoyed by significant foreign investment and renewed investor confidence. Over the past year, the TASE has repeatedly broken past its all-time highs, despite Israel’s multi-front wars.
On Friday, Germany announced that it would not join France in recognizing a Palestinian state. A government spokesperson said “Israel’s security is of paramount importance to the German government” and that “the German government therefore has no plans to recognize a Palestinian state in the short term.”
On Monday, German Chancellor Friedrich Merz stated that the country had no plans to sanction Israel and that “for now, we want to await the foreign minister’s trip and the talks that will be held with the Israeli government in the coming days.”
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