Tucker and Qatar’s Prime Minister React to Trump’s Move Against Bibi

[00:00:00] Thank you, Shake Muhammad, for doing [00:00:01] this. [00:00:03] Have you been uh reading your the [00:00:06] coverage on American social media of [00:00:08] this? [00:00:08] >> Well, actually, I've been going through [00:00:11] some of them this morning and uh I saw [00:00:14] like a lot of contradicting messages. [00:00:16] >> Pretty intense, I'd say. Um [00:00:19] this country is being denounced as a [00:00:20] terror state, terror financing. um [00:00:25] very high volume, [00:00:28] lots of attacks including from [00:00:31] politicians, sitting US senators, Ted [00:00:34] Cruz for example. Um and the main [00:00:37] criticism seems to revolve around Hamas [00:00:40] and the idea is that your country and [00:00:42] you specifically are supporters of [00:00:44] Hamas, your terror financers. And I'd [00:00:47] like to just get right to the to the [00:00:49] truth of that. So my understanding is [00:00:51] Hamas is here in Doha because the United [00:00:55] States and Israel asked you to host [00:00:58] Hamas. Is that true? And if not, what is [00:01:00] the truth about Hamas and Doha? [00:01:02] >> Well, thank you. Thank you, Tucker. [00:01:04] First of all, look, uh [00:01:07] the starting of the relationship with [00:01:09] Hamas and the communication was started [00:01:12] back more than 10 years, 13 years ago at [00:01:17] the request of United States. even [00:01:19] beyond that like it was 19 years ago [00:01:21] when they first participated in the [00:01:24] election and then when they moved their [00:01:27] office back in 2012 here it was used [00:01:30] only for the communication and to [00:01:31] facilitate like ceasefire facilitating [00:01:34] aids to now unfortunately has been [00:01:39] attacked uh uh for having them here but [00:01:42] when uh you look you know at what's [00:01:45] happening in within the region this [00:01:48] region When you look at its conflict, it [00:01:50] has the com the parties of the conflict. [00:01:53] Sometimes they are state actors, [00:01:54] sometimes they are non-state actors. If [00:01:56] you have no one speaking to those [00:01:58] non-state actors, how we are going to [00:02:00] resolve or to reach to a solution at the [00:02:02] end of the day? And now we have seen [00:02:04] that this communication has led to [00:02:07] ceasefires, has led to the release of [00:02:09] the hostages, has led to elevating the [00:02:11] suffering of the people over there. And [00:02:14] unfortunately, you know, uh there are [00:02:16] like politicians who are trying to use [00:02:18] this for to score like short-term [00:02:20] political gains to fuel their narratives [00:02:24] uh in order to like you know using to [00:02:27] blame to blame another country for [00:02:29] what's happening over there or for their [00:02:31] wrong policies. All our aid and all our [00:02:34] support in financing that went and what [00:02:36] they claimed that it went to Hamas went [00:02:39] to went to the people and was under very [00:02:41] transparent process that United States [00:02:43] is fully aware about Israel is the one [00:02:46] facilitating and it's not one government [00:02:49] it was across governments Netanyahu [00:02:51] Bennett we have dealt with all the [00:02:54] agencies laid was a prime minister at [00:02:56] certain point of time Mossad Shimet the [00:02:59] ministry of foreign affairs all of the [00:03:01] and the defense All of them they were [00:03:03] involved in in in these aids and the [00:03:05] delivery of those aids. So today when [00:03:08] they are claiming that this financing of [00:03:10] this is the financing of Qatar to Hamas [00:03:13] it's it has no basis that it's just you [00:03:16] know a way to spread this information [00:03:18] about a country that doesn't do anything [00:03:21] for them but it's it's doing things that [00:03:24] are against their policies. If you just [00:03:28] go to Qatar records with in its [00:03:31] engagement with the United States for [00:03:32] the last 20 years or 30 years, Qatar has [00:03:35] never uh uh went to United States and [00:03:38] you know encouraging them to bomb this [00:03:40] country or to support this group or to [00:03:43] that group. We've been always uh uh in [00:03:46] our dialogues with United States about [00:03:47] how we deescalate the region, how we [00:03:49] bring peace to the region. And this [00:03:51] peace cannot happen without an [00:03:53] engagement with everyone in the region. [00:03:55] Well, I'm confused then if you hosted [00:03:58] Hamas here and sent money to Gaza, both [00:04:02] of those things at the request of the US [00:04:04] government and the Israeli government, [00:04:07] successive Israeli governments. Why did [00:04:09] Israel bomb your country? [00:04:12] Well, it's uh I don't know if there is [00:04:15] [applause] [00:04:17] I don't know if you know if if any of [00:04:20] the actions that's been like or many of [00:04:22] the actions that's been taken been [00:04:24] justified or rationalized or even like [00:04:27] were ethical actions. But in a principle [00:04:30] even uh uh you have a mediator you know [00:04:34] the concept of mediation is like a safe [00:04:36] place for the conflicted parties to [00:04:40] achieve a deal to end wars and to end [00:04:42] conflicts and to have the mediator being [00:04:44] bombed [00:04:46] by one of the parties of the conflict. [00:04:48] This has been unprecedented and I have [00:04:50] said that many times uh uh that this is [00:04:53] you know it's not only an unethical move [00:04:56] it's [00:04:58] just you know throwing everything like [00:05:00] you know against the wall like throwing [00:05:02] the international law throwing the [00:05:03] respect of the sovereignity of any other [00:05:05] country beside uh uh you know ethically [00:05:09] it's not it's not really acceptable or [00:05:12] no one can swallow it. [00:05:15] No. And the aftermath was also [00:05:18] unprecedented. So, President Trump [00:05:23] basically told the Israelis to apologize [00:05:26] to you. He took your side. He took the [00:05:30] side of an Arab country against Israel [00:05:32] in this specific case. I I don't think [00:05:35] I've ever seen that before. I don't [00:05:37] think it's ever happened before. What [00:05:38] was your reaction to that? [00:05:41] Well, of course, uh, President Trump has [00:05:44] has took uh was very clear from the [00:05:46] beginning since the attack. Actually [00:05:49] when uh when he was informed about the [00:05:52] attack he assigned one of uh uh his [00:05:55] advisers to reach out to us and at the [00:05:58] same time he called his highness after [00:06:00] the attack and [00:06:03] he expressed his uh like his frustration [00:06:06] his disappointment from such a thing [00:06:08] that's happening by Israel because he [00:06:10] knows everything about the process and [00:06:12] he knows how helpful we were throughout [00:06:15] this process and uh uh you know this [00:06:20] kind of move was shocking for him as as [00:06:23] you know a partner in in in these [00:06:25] efforts in these endeavors to achieve [00:06:27] peace in at that time actually when the [00:06:31] strike happened. It was happening while [00:06:34] we were uh trying to uh convince Hamas [00:06:38] to accept the offer was made by [00:06:40] President Trump at that time to convince [00:06:43] them to engage to convince them to uh uh [00:06:46] uh get you know get a deal before the 20 [00:06:50] points being developed uh uh when the [00:06:52] attack happened. [00:06:54] >> So you're saying that President Trump [00:06:57] was surprised by the bombing of Doha by [00:07:00] the Israelis. Of course, it was his [00:07:03] peace process that was shortcircuited by [00:07:06] their bombing using American money. [00:07:08] You're saying that the president didn't [00:07:10] know that was going to happen. He was [00:07:11] surprised. [00:07:12] >> He's uh he he called us right away. The [00:07:16] his advisers who reached out to us, they [00:07:18] reached out to us just couple of minutes [00:07:21] before the attack which was like the [00:07:23] attack was already happening. So uh he's [00:07:28] it was very clear demonstration with all [00:07:30] the actions that this is something [00:07:32] happened against his will and he he [00:07:35] doesn't accept it and uh he made it very [00:07:39] clear for everyone that uh this is uh [00:07:43] like a red line that he doesn't want [00:07:45] anyone to cross it and we highly value [00:07:47] that and appreciate it. And I'm just [00:07:49] pressing you on this because there were [00:07:50] news accounts in the subsequent days, [00:07:53] the next day, the day after, in Israel [00:07:56] saying, "No, the Israeli government did [00:07:58] this. [00:08:00] The prime minister did this with the [00:08:03] agreement of Donald Trump. This was part [00:08:05] of Donald Trump's plan was to bomb Doha, [00:08:08] bomb his own peace negotiations." And [00:08:10] you're saying that's not true. [00:08:11] >> Well, I think this is one of many [00:08:12] efforts to sabotage the relationship [00:08:14] between Qatar and the United States. and [00:08:16] they want us to believe that and I think [00:08:19] that uh you know these efforts are not [00:08:21] new to us. We have seen uh a lot of [00:08:24] efforts ongoing for years now on you [00:08:27] know based on disinformation and [00:08:30] spreading lies and false information [00:08:31] about Qatar in order to hurt the [00:08:34] relationship between Qatar and the [00:08:36] United States which we see it from our [00:08:38] perspective is mutually beneficial for [00:08:40] both countries uh uh because we advocate [00:08:43] for something different than what you [00:08:46] know our adversaries advocate. our [00:08:48] adversaries advocating for escalation, [00:08:50] for bombing, for controlling uh uh but [00:08:53] we advocate for resolving conflict in [00:08:56] diplomatic way uh trying to stabilize [00:08:59] the region and that has been policy [00:09:02] since since inception. [00:09:05] >> So you said that your country has sent [00:09:07] money to Gaza uh for humanitarian [00:09:10] reasons. That's your position. um [00:09:13] basically [00:09:15] paying to help the people who are being [00:09:18] bombed by Israel. Now there's the [00:09:21] question of who rebuilds Gaza, which has [00:09:23] of course been completely destroyed, and [00:09:25] who pays for it? And I wonder, well, I [00:09:28] don't wonder, I just imagine with total [00:09:31] certainty that you will be asked to pay [00:09:32] for the rebuilding of Gaza. Why would [00:09:35] you do that? Why would you rebuild a [00:09:39] region that's been destroyed by a [00:09:41] country that also bombed you? [00:09:44] Well, look, Tucker here uh you know [00:09:47] there is like a very u [00:09:51] say like an ironic situation when you [00:09:54] look at like two conflicts happening at [00:09:57] the same time and you are hearing like [00:10:00] many uh about when it comes to the [00:10:03] Russia Ukrainian conflict that Russia [00:10:05] should fund all the reconstruction and [00:10:07] their assets should be seized to fund [00:10:09] all the reconstruction of Ukraine. While [00:10:12] when you are talking about and Israel uh [00:10:15] you know flattened this land and you [00:10:19] said you say that Israel has the [00:10:21] responsibility to rebuild what it's [00:10:23] destroyed uh they will tell you no you [00:10:26] will have as a region you will have the [00:10:28] responsibility to to do so and it's [00:10:31] really a very ironic double standards [00:10:33] when when you look at it uh from our [00:10:36] side as a state of we will continue [00:10:40] supporting the Palestinian people. We [00:10:42] will do whatever to elevate their [00:10:44] suffering. But we are not the ones who [00:10:46] are going to write the check to rebuild [00:10:48] what others destroys. That's that's [00:10:50] basically our position. But also we will [00:10:52] not let the Palestinian people at dry if [00:10:55] they are not helped or they are not [00:10:56] funded. I [00:10:58] >> I should say from an American [00:10:59] perspective it's even more grotesque. So [00:11:01] you are asked to pay for the destruction [00:11:03] and for the rebuilding. This is like [00:11:06] >> it's a little much. So, but you're [00:11:08] saying clearly that your country will [00:11:10] not pay to rebuild what Israel [00:11:12] destroyed. [00:11:13] >> That's that's our position. Our position [00:11:15] is to that our our payments will go only [00:11:19] to help the Palestinian people if we see [00:11:21] that the help is coming to them is [00:11:23] insufficient. That's that's basically [00:11:25] our position. [00:11:26] >> What what happens to the current [00:11:28] residents of Gaza? [00:11:30] Do they stay in Gaza? I know there's an [00:11:32] effort to find some other country to [00:11:34] send them to either in Asia or Sudan or [00:11:38] Milwaukee. Uh but do they stay in Gaza? [00:11:42] Well, I think that, you know, when uh [00:11:46] it's hurting us when we hear people [00:11:48] talking about the people of Gaza as [00:11:52] like, you know, some sort of different [00:11:54] people because like they have the right [00:11:56] and to have the choice where to live and [00:11:59] they don't want to, you know, to leave [00:12:02] their country and we have seen these [00:12:04] demonstrations like in many occasions [00:12:06] when we see the opening uh between the [00:12:10] south and the north of Gaza uh we see [00:12:12] the mass return of the people to their [00:12:15] homes even if their their homes is [00:12:17] flattened and gone. They just go there [00:12:19] and build attendance. This is just [00:12:20] showing you uh how solid are those [00:12:24] people, how resilient are those people, [00:12:26] how those people they don't want to [00:12:28] leave the land that they belong to. And [00:12:31] I don't see anyone has the right to uh [00:12:34] uh uh deport them or to force them [00:12:38] [applause] [00:12:39] to force them for to to go somewhere [00:12:41] else. It's their country. It's their [00:12:43] home and they have all the right to stay [00:12:46] there and to live there. [00:12:48] >> Yeah. The idea of moving millions of [00:12:50] people by force into another country uh [00:12:53] you know has been discredited I I would [00:12:55] say historically. Um what big picture [00:12:58] this is a question that remains [00:12:59] unanswered in the United States like [00:13:01] what is the plan here exactly um in the [00:13:04] Levant what is Israel's plan what is the [00:13:07] strategy I understand it's you know [00:13:09] defeating Hamas and his blah and you [00:13:11] know I understand the short-term goals [00:13:13] they're often articulated but what's the [00:13:16] what does this look like in 10 years [00:13:18] what what is the like the object do you [00:13:21] have any idea [00:13:22] >> what I I I think you know if we If we [00:13:26] look at uh uh the situation currently uh [00:13:29] I have mentioned that yesterday the [00:13:31] situation currently is is not uh like uh [00:13:36] is not something that uh can survive for [00:13:39] long in being stable. Now uh uh the [00:13:43] issue that uh if the Israeli forces [00:13:47] remains there, if the violations remains [00:13:49] uh happening in Raza, uh this conflict [00:13:53] can escalate again and that's what all [00:13:57] of us we want to avoid. uh the best plan [00:14:00] is to apply what's been uh already [00:14:03] agreed on in in in uh in the plan in in [00:14:06] the plan that um President Trump has has [00:14:10] launched and the countries in the region [00:14:12] has supported to rebuild Gaza for the [00:14:16] Gazin's people for the Gazin people to [00:14:18] remain there but also uh uh finding a [00:14:22] political solution for for the bigger [00:14:23] issue because uh if you keep this uh [00:14:28] issue unresolved the Palestinian issue [00:14:30] unresolved, [00:14:31] you know, things will escalate again and [00:14:33] again. We we cannot build a house [00:14:36] without building the foundation of of [00:14:38] that house and the foundation of that [00:14:40] house that the Palestinian people get [00:14:42] their rights for their states and they [00:14:44] have the right to stay in their own [00:14:45] land. [00:14:47] From an outside perspective, [00:14:51] it seems like the prospect of, you know, [00:14:54] full rights internally or a separate and [00:14:56] autonomous Palestinian state, those seem [00:14:59] like more remote than ever. That seems [00:15:03] less likely than ever to happen, but [00:15:05] maybe I'm reading it wrong. Well, [00:15:07] unfortunately, you know, uh peace needs, [00:15:11] you know, a partner also for that with [00:15:15] the current configuration in Israel and [00:15:18] what we are seeing in in the political [00:15:20] landscape there in the Knesset and all [00:15:23] those resolutions that they are passing [00:15:25] against the two-state solution is just [00:15:28] uh you know setting us apart from uh uh [00:15:31] this path which is unfortunate uh uh to [00:15:35] see that there is no enforcement to push [00:15:38] them that this is the only path forward [00:15:40] to have a two-state solution. Uh [00:15:44] we cannot, you know, remain hostage uh [00:15:46] uh to the far right and the extremist [00:15:50] agenda to like uh ethnically cleanse the [00:15:54] Palestinian or to kick them out of their [00:15:56] lands. And what we are looking for, we [00:15:59] are looking for two countries, two [00:16:02] people living side by side peacefully [00:16:04] and being part of the region. And that's [00:16:07] what's the entire region is aspiring [00:16:09] for. [00:16:10] >> It is widely believed in Washington that [00:16:12] Israel will initiate another war against [00:16:15] Iran in this coming year 2026. I don't [00:16:18] know if that's true. Do you believe it [00:16:20] is true? [00:16:21] >> Well, let's hope not. Uh I think that [00:16:23] it's very important uh to try to find a [00:16:28] way to uh reactivate the talks on on on [00:16:32] the nuclears and to see a track of [00:16:34] diplomacy because right now what we are [00:16:36] seeing there is an absence of any [00:16:38] efforts in in resolving the issue [00:16:40] diplomatically and uh as we have like [00:16:44] mentioned many many times that anything [00:16:47] uh would happen to Iran it will have its [00:16:50] impact on on the entire region on the [00:16:52] entire Gulf region, Qatar, Saudi, [00:16:55] Bahrain, Kuwait, UAE, all the countries [00:16:58] will be affected with such a thing and [00:17:01] uh I hope not. Uh but you know there is [00:17:04] a lot of uncertaintity of what's [00:17:06] happening in the region right now. We [00:17:08] see Lebanon bombing is continuing while [00:17:11] what supposedly the wars ended. We see [00:17:13] Gaza bombing is still continuing while [00:17:15] there is a ceasefire iss going. So uh it [00:17:19] all depends on how can we make sure that [00:17:23] Israel stops at this uh level and [00:17:26] doesn't escalate further. [00:17:29] >> One of the reasons I openly admire you [00:17:31] despite much criticism and was grateful [00:17:33] to interview view you today is because [00:17:35] your country acts as a kind of neutral [00:17:39] zone around the world not just in your [00:17:40] region. Switzerland no longer being [00:17:43] non-aligned. Unfortunately, it's fallen [00:17:45] to your country to be the place where [00:17:46] people can negotiate conflicts to peace, [00:17:49] settlement. You're doing that in Eastern [00:17:52] Europe with Russia, Ukraine. You helped [00:17:55] get Evan Gerskovich out of prison in [00:17:57] Russia. I don't know if you've gotten [00:17:58] credit for that. God bless you for doing [00:18:00] that. Um, do you see that conflict as [00:18:03] moving toward resolution? [00:18:06] Well, I think that there are a lot of uh [00:18:09] uh hope in in in the current endeavor [00:18:12] that's carried out by the United States [00:18:14] to reach to a resolution because I [00:18:17] believe that uh you know uh this war has [00:18:21] becoming like very disruptive not only [00:18:24] for uh for Europe and not only for the [00:18:26] Ukrainians becoming disruptive for the [00:18:28] entire world and it's just you know [00:18:30] polarizing the world more and more and [00:18:33] this is not in anyone's interest and [00:18:35] will has its consequences. Right now we [00:18:37] see a relentless efforts by by the admin [00:18:40] by the US administration in order to [00:18:42] achieve a deal and uh the Ukrainians are [00:18:46] engaging in in in this process and uh we [00:18:50] are trying our best also whenever we are [00:18:53] needed to help and to support uh within [00:18:55] that process but I believe it's it is [00:18:58] solvable it can be it can be achieved [00:19:01] it's not something impossible. So la [00:19:04] last question. Um I've been personally [00:19:07] not to make it about me but I have been [00:19:08] criticized as being a tool of Qar [00:19:12] and I just want to say what you already [00:19:14] know which is I've never taken anything [00:19:15] from your country and and and don't plan [00:19:18] to. I am however tomorrow buying a place [00:19:20] in Qar [00:19:21] >> both because I am [00:19:23] >> pay a high check [00:19:24] >> in in Doha. Yeah. And I'm doing that [00:19:26] because I like the city. I think it's [00:19:28] beautiful. uh but also to make the [00:19:29] statement that I'm an American and a [00:19:31] free man and I'll be wherever I want to [00:19:33] be which I think is important but that [00:19:36] does kind of leave us in a place where I [00:19:39] have not taken any money from Qar I have [00:19:43] instead given money to Qar and I wonder [00:19:46] if you feel that that means I've bought [00:19:48] you and you will now spew my propaganda [00:19:51] >> thank you just ask me whatever you want [00:19:52] me to do for you [laughter] I will do it [00:19:54] but uh [00:19:56] look Tucker uh unfortunately ely as I [00:19:59] told you that there are a lot of players [00:20:03] putting a lot of efforts to sabotage the [00:20:06] relationship between and the United [00:20:08] States and to try to demonize uh uh [00:20:12] anyone who will come to this country. [00:20:14] our efforts when we are lobbying or uh [00:20:18] uh doing you know our outreach in the [00:20:21] United States is to make sure that this [00:20:23] relationship is safeguarded and the [00:20:26] relationship for us is mutually [00:20:28] beneficial. Uh we are not getting aid [00:20:31] from United States. It's uh we are [00:20:34] instead we are buying from United [00:20:36] States. We are partnering with them. We [00:20:39] are investing in United States. United [00:20:40] States investing in Qatar and this [00:20:44] relationship has been always a two-ways [00:20:46] relationship [00:20:48] and we pay all these amounts for [00:20:50] lobbying only to protect and to [00:20:52] safeguard this relationship. if we were [00:20:54] not like uh uh being attacked and under [00:20:58] a lot of like disinformation campaign [00:21:01] that's been unfortunately funded uh uh [00:21:04] by other players who doesn't want to see [00:21:07] a USQar relationship uh uh flourish we [00:21:11] wouldn't uh we would spend this money [00:21:14] for better things you know uh to do with [00:21:17] with the relationship [00:21:20] Mahhammed thank you so much for taking [00:21:21] the time to do this I appreciate