Qatar denies Israeli claims of election interference as votes counted
Doha's foreign ministry rejects what it calls a disinformation campaign, while Israel's election committee says the vote was conducted lawfully.
At a glance
- Qatar's Foreign Ministry denied Israeli claims that it funded Arab parties or otherwise interfered in this week's parliamentary elections.
- Spokesman Majed al-Ansari said the unsubstantiated accusations were part of a 'disinformation campaign' against Doha.
- Israel's Central Elections Committee acting director Dean Livine said the Knesset elections were conducted lawfully.
Qatar's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has denied allegations by Israeli political figures that it tried to influence Israel's parliamentary elections, calling the claims a "disinformation campaign" as results from this week's vote were still being counted.
Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said on Thursday that Qatar has "no involvement" in Israel's political or electoral competition, and rejected accusations that it sent money to Arab parties for get-out-the-vote drives.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and media outlets associated with it have accused Qatar, without evidence, of funding such campaigns. Partial results indicated that Netanyahu's bloc would not secure a majority in the Knesset in Tuesday's elections. The two Arab lists won a record number of seats, but the main parties have rejected the idea of partnering with them.
Qatar rejects 'disinformation campaign'
"We reject the accusations made by certain Israeli politicians and their contacts in the media, who have launched yet another disinformation campaign aiming to drag Qatar into Israeli political disputes following this week's elections," al-Ansari said in a post on X.
He described the unsubstantiated claims as "ridiculous and dangerous in equal measure" and said they were the latest in a long-running campaign against Qatar.
"[Some Israeli politicians] accuse Qatar of buying off Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli political left and now, in this latest campaign, the Arab vote. If these claims were to be believed, Qatar would apparently own all of Israel," he said.
Al-Ansari said the repeated focus on Qatar revealed "an excessive obsession with our country among certain Israeli political and media figures" and argued Qatar should "not be used as a scapegoat for the political failures of certain Israeli politicians". Those politicians, he said, "would be better off focusing on their own voters, improving people's everyday lives, and undoing the damage they've created in the region".
Elections committee rejects foreign interference
Dean Livine, acting director of Israel's Central Elections Committee, rejected allegations of foreign interference in a letter to an MP and fellow committee member: "The Knesset elections were conducted lawfully. The integrity of the elections at polling stations was rigorously safeguarded."
According to the source, Netanyahu has previously boasted about attacking Qatar in September 2025 during Israel's war in Gaza, while Israeli influence experts and political advisers worked on a secret campaign targeting Qatar in the weeks after the Hamas-led October 7, 2023, attacks on southern Israel.
Mediation role continues
Qatar is a key mediator in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians and played a central role in talks to halt the war in Gaza. Doha is also leading mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran to end the United States-Israel war on Iran.
Al-Ansari said the accusations would not distract Doha from its "important role as a mediator, our diplomatic and humanitarian efforts, our support for the Palestinian people, or our commitment to a just and comprehensive peace and regional stability."
Source: Al Jazeera.
Questions and answers
- Did Qatar interfere in Israel's elections?
- Qatar's Foreign Ministry says it has "no involvement" in Israel's political or electoral competition. Israel's Central Elections Committee also rejected allegations of foreign interference, saying the vote was conducted lawfully.
- Who accused Qatar of funding Arab parties in Israel?
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party and media outlets associated with it made the accusation without evidence, according to Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari.
- What is Qatar's role in the region?
- Qatar is a key mediator in the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, played a central role in talks to halt the war in Gaza, and is leading mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran.
