On June 24, 2023 WAFA, the news agency of the Palestinian Authority (PA), reported that Qatar had granted 1 million dollars to "institutions and organizations in Jenin and its refugee camp." According to the report, PLO secretary-general Hussein Al-Sheikh met in his office in Ramallah with Jenin district governor Akram Al-Rajoub and with the chair of the Popular Services Committee in the Jenin refugee camp, Muhammad Al-Sabbar, to deliver the grant. Al-Sheikh thanked the Qatari Emir, Tamim bin Hamad Aal Thani, and Qatari Prime Minister Muhammad bin 'Abd Al-Rahman Aal Thani on behalf of Palestinian President Mahmoud 'Abbas and wished Qatar prosperity and success.[1]
Hussein Al-Sheikh (center) delivering the Qatari grant to Jenin governor Akram Al-Rajoub (left) and to Jenin refugee camp representative Muhammad Al-Sabbar (Image: Twitter.com/HusseinSheikhpl, June 24, 2023)
Hussein Al-Sheikh tweeted about the grant and the meeting on his personal account.[2]
Jenin District Governor: The Grant Will Strengthen Us In Steadfastly Facing The Occupation
Jenin district governor Akram Al-Rajoub, who received the grant from Al-Sheikh, stressed that it would "help strengthen the steadfastness" of the Palestinian people "amid the occupation's ongoing aggression against the city of Jenin, its refugee camp and all the towns and villages of the district," and thanked the Qatari Emir and Prime Minister for the donation.[3]
It should be noted that the grant was given against the backdrop of the escalating terror against Israelis in the West Bank, and only one week after an IED attack on Israeli forces that entered the Jenin area to arrest terror operatives. The PA's weakening control of Jenin, and especially of its refugee camp, which has recently become a hotspot of terror in the West Bank,[4] raises serious questions regarding the use that will be made of the money.
Years-Long Qatari Support Of Hamas, Incitement To Terror Against Israel
It should be mentioned that Qatar has for years been sheltering Hamas leaders on its soil, extending economic aid to Hamas and backing its armed struggle against Israel. Moreover, during the 2021 round of fighting between Hamas and Israel in Gaza, while Qatar was involved, along with the U.S., Egypt and other countries, in attempts to mediate a ceasefire between the sides, a mass rally in support of Hamas was held in Doha with the participation of Hamas officials.[5] In addition, Qatar also supports, sponsors and funds the International Union of Muslim Scholars (IUMS), founded in 2004 by the extremist Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradawi, in which Hamas Political Bureau head Isma'il Haniya is a member. The union provides Hamas with religious legitimacy and consistently promotes an extremist discourse of hate, incitement, antisemitism, calls for jihad and encouragement of armed struggle against Israel.[6]
It should be noted that, over the years, MEMRI has published many reports demonstrating that the Qatari press regularly features articles praising jihad and armed struggle against Israel. A recent article in the Qatari daily Al-Watan, for example, called on the Palestinians of all factions to carry out terror attacks throughout Israel, from the north to the south, in order to inflict blows on the Israelis and terrify them.[7] Despite this, the U.S. and Israel grant Qatar the status of mediator, and this country has also provided financial aid to Gaza for some five years with the blessing of the Israeli government.
PLO secretary-general Hussien Al-Sheikh and Jenin Governor Akram Al-Rajoub in meeting with Jenin refugee camp representatives (Image: Facebook.com/profile.php?id=100050176373091, June 24, 2023).
[1] Wafa.ps, June 24, 2023.
[2] Twitter.com/HusseinSheikhpl, June 24, 2023.
[3] Wafa.ps, June 24, 2023.
[4] See MEMRI Inquiry & Analysis No. 1661 - Palestinian Authority Responds To Violence Wave In Two Conflicting Ways: Tries To Restrain West Bank Gunmen, While Also Encouraging Them And Inciting Terror – October 21, 2022.
[5] See Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1576 - As Qatar Mediates Between Israel And Hamas, It Holds Mass Rally For Hamas In Doha Supporting Armed Struggle And Jihad Against Israel – Participants Included Hamas Political Bureau Head Isma'il Haniya – May 21, 2021; Special Dispatch No. 10251 - Hamas Hosts Iftar Dinner In Doha, Qatar; Leader Ismail Haniyeh, Dozens Of Foreign Diplomats Attend – April 16, 2023. On Qatar's support of terror, see e.g., MEMRI reports: Daily Brief No. 152, Cut Off Qatar, March 4, 2018; Daily Brief No. 148, Is Gaza In Need Of Qatar's Aid?, January 29, 2018; Daily Brief No. 146, Qatar, The Emirate That Fools Them All, And Its Enablers, January 18, 2018.
[6] On this IUMS' extremist discourse and support for terrorism, see MEMRI reports: Special Dispatch No. 10557, Qatar-Funded And Operated International Union Of Muslim Scholars (IUMS) And Hamas Leaders In Qatar Call Palestinians To I'tikaf In Al-Aqsa Mosque With Intention Of Waging Jihad Prior To April 5 Clashes, Declare April 7 As 'Day Of Rage', April 7, 2023; Special Dispatch No. 10553 - Member Of The International Union Of Muslim Scholars: Muslims Must Liberate Al-Aqsa By Any Means; It Is The Blood Of The Jihad Fighters That Lights The Flame Of Al-Aqsa; The Day Of Judgement Will Come When The Muslims Fight And Kill The Jews – April 5, 2023; Inquiry & Analysis No. 1652, Al-Qaradawi: Qatar's Islamist Empire Builder, October 3, 2022; Special Dispatch No. 10464 - International Union Of Muslim Clerics (IUMS) Member: The Jerusalem Terrorist Who Killed Seven Civilians Is A 'Hero' And A 'Role Model'; The Quran Explicitly Calls To Wage Jihad For The Sake Of Allah – February 6, 2023; Special Dispatch No. 10356 - Youssef Al-Qaradawi's Successor Ali Al-Qaradaghi Shares Mentor's Hardline Views And Positions On West, Christianity, And Jihad, Actively Promotes Muslim Brotherhood Ideology To Millions Of People On Multiple Platforms – May 12, 2022; Special Dispatch No. 8830 - International Union Of Muslim Scholars, Backed By Qatar And Turkey, Calls For Jihad And Self-Sacrifice To Foil Israel’s Plan To Annex Parts Of The West Bank – July 6, 2020; Special Dispatch No. 7984 - International Union Of Muslim Scholars Urges Imams To Preach Armed Jihad Against Israel To Save Al-Aqsa – April 4, 2019; Special Dispatch No. 8083 - Dr. Ahmed Al-Raissouni, Head Of The International Union Of Muslim Scholars Which Was Founded By Sheikh Yousef Al-Qaradawi In Dublin: Questioning The Holocaust Is Not Just A Right But An Obligation – May 23, 2019; Special Dispatch No. 8135 - International Union Of Muslim Scholars, Supported By Qatar, Calls To Boycott Bahrain Conference On Deal Of The Century, Support Palestinians' Jihad – June 24, 2019; Special Dispatch No. 7264 - Sheikh Yousuf Al-Qaradawi Calls For Resistance, Jihad And Martyrdom Following Trump's Recognition Of Jerusalem As Israel's Capital – January 4, 2018.
[7] See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 10620 - Article In Qatari Daily Incites Palestinians To Carry Out Terror Attacks Throughout Israel – May 22, 2023. See also MEMRI reports: Special Dispatch No. 10526 – Article In Qatari Daily Incites To Terror Attacks Against Israelis: Surround Them, Pursue Them, 'Make It So That They Will Never Be Safe – Not In Jerusalem, Not In Tel Aviv', March 16, 2023; Special Dispatch No. 10452 - Al-Jazeera Presenters, Journalists In Qatari Press, Qatar-Backed Muslim Clerics: Terrorist Attack Near Jerusalem Synagogue Was 'Brave Act' Of 'Legitimate Resistance,' Its Perpetrator Is A 'Hero' – February 1, 2023; Special Dispatch No. 9316 - Article On Al-Jazeera Website: Ramadan, 'Month Of Jihad And Victories,' Is The Season Of Palestinian Armed Operations – May 3, 2021; Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1634 - Antisemitism, Holocaust Denial In Qatari Press – April 28, 2022; Special Dispatch No. 9891 - Qatari Press Praises Tel Aviv Terror Attack In Which Three Israelis Were Killed – And The Terrorist Who Carried It Out – April 11, 2022; Inquiry & Analysis Series No. 1527, Al-Jazeera Unmasked: Political Islam As A Media Arm Of The Qatari State, August 12, 2020; Special Dispatch No. 8242 - Blog Post On Website Of Qatar's Al-Jazeera Network Praises Hamas Summer Camps And Its Efforts To 'Raise A Generation That Believes In The Duty Of Jihad' – August 26, 2019; Special Dispatch No. 7975 - Qatari Press Praises Armed Palestinian Resistance, Self-Sacrifice For Palestine – April 1, 2019.
