Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett has accused Qatar of funding Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, adding a new flashpoint to the already tense debate over Qatar’s role in regional politics. Bennett said he would move to designate Qatar an “enemy state” if he is reelected to lead Israel.
According to the report, Bennett presented the allegation as one of the main reasons for taking a much harder line against Doha. His comments focused on what he described as Qatar’s support for forces and actors that threaten Israeli security.
The remarks were delivered in a promotional video published on X, where Bennett appeared to outline a tougher foreign policy stance. The message also signaled how he may try to distinguish himself politically by emphasizing a more confrontational approach toward countries he views as aligned with Iran or hostile to Israel.
Bennett’s statement is likely to draw attention because it links Qatar directly to Iran’s IRGC, a powerful military organization at the center of many regional security disputes. Even without further details in the report, the accusation and Bennett’s pledge are likely to fuel renewed scrutiny of Israel-Qatar relations and the wider regional rivalry involving Iran.
