Report widely circulated: Qatar to expel Hamas members

Saturday 03-06-2017 - 10:33 PM

Al-Bawaba

Cairo - Qatar sent Hamas a list of at least six members who should leave the Gulf State of Qatar. This story has been widely circulated today, especially in the Israeli media.

Hamas is a Palestinian Sunni-Islamic fundamentalist organization and designated as a terrorist group in some countries.

Most reports on this story are based on a sole piece of 'analysis' that appeared earlier today on Lebanon's Al Mayadeen. The site cited anonymous diplomatic and intelligence sources in Middle East.

Many Israeli media outlets published the decision, such as Arutz Sheva, Jeruslaem Post and Times of Israel, citing the same source.

According to Lebanon's Al Mayadeen, Qatar sent Hamas a list of members who will be expelled. Most of those listed are responsible for Hamas West Bank cells.

Doha apologized to Hamas for the decision, explaining the expulsion was driven by "external pressures." Al Mayadeen did not state what the pressures were, but did say some of the names came up during investigations of terrorists imprisoned in Israeli jails.

The Qatari official who sent the list to Hamas requested that the terror cells in Judea and Samaria be handled by Gaza headquarters, and not via officials abroad. He also said the list was not final and additional names may be added in the future.

In recent years, Qatar has served as a headquarters for Hamas officials abroad. The expulsion of Hamas members is an unusual event which may represent an improvement in relations between Qatar and Israel.