The sharp response issued by the Mossad on Thursday to remarks made earlier by Yisrael Beytenu leader Avigdor Liberman was highly unusual. First, the Mossad rarely rushes to respond publicly to statements by senior political figures, especially someone who has served as defense minister and foreign minister.
But it was also exceptional in another way: for the first time, the Mossad dropped its gloves against Qatar, openly accusing it not only of backing Al Jazeera, which it said “encourages hatred, antisemitism and terror,” but also of responsibility for “spreading false narratives and incitement against the State of Israel worldwide across multiple platforms,” according to the statement.
Following Liberman’s remarks, officials at the Mossad were furious, saying they felt wronged. The agency sought to correct what it viewed as a false impression that it had effectively “defended” Qatar over the years or served as its advocate. Mossad officials stressed that the agency was well aware of Qatar’s negative role and viewed it as an enemy state that hosts terrorists and funds antisemitic activity on campuses under the banner of the Muslim Brotherhood.
However, as the Israeli intelligence body responsible for maintaining contacts with Qatar due to the absence of formal diplomatic relations, the Mossad said it acted responsibly. The reason, officials said, was the hostages. One Israeli captive, Ran Gvili, is still believed held in Gaza. Since October 7, the Mossad has remained silent publicly. Regardless of the so-called “Qatar-gate” affair, officials said Qatar was seen by the Mossad as the most effective mediator in hostage negotiations.
Throughout this period, Mossad officials said they were fully aware that Qatar operated a “poison machine” of bots that vilified Jews and amplified terrorist messaging. In closed-door talks, Mossad chief David Barnea and his aides did not spare Qatar criticism, but avoided burning bridges. When discussions were held in Israel about shutting down Al Jazeera, Barnea and the Mossad opposed the move, fearing it would harm Qatar’s mediation role. The agency supported closing the network but believed the decision should be postponed until the hostages were returned.
“There was a need to show responsibility for human lives, because the Qataris were advancing a deal and had leverage over Hamas,” officials familiar with the matter said.
Anger over Liberman’s claims
Liberman said earlier Thursday that during a meeting this month in New York between Barnea and Qatari officials, four working groups were agreed upon, including a “communications group.” Speaking at the Ogen conference hosted with Yedioth Ahronoth, he said the group was meant to focus on “media issues and Qatar’s image.”
Mossad officials reacted angrily to the claim regarding the trilateral meeting in New York, which was mediated by U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff. Responding to assertions that a committee had been formed to repair Qatar’s image or assist in branding the Gulf state, officials said, “It never happened. The opposite is true. The meeting was very tough, and Israel made harsh claims against Qatar. Witkoff also delivered strong criticism of the Qataris.”
“We made no concessions to the Qataris,” officials said, adding that anything that could potentially endanger the hostages was set aside. “The country that held the switch to the hostages’ lives was Qatar. But make no mistake: no one tried to improve Qatar’s image.”
In its statement, the Mossad said, “The report about the establishment of a communications team for Qatar is unfounded, false and baseless. The trilateral meeting held in New York, with the participation of the U.S. president’s special envoy for the Middle East, Steve Witkoff, addressed a range of weighty issues related to the Middle East and the Gaza Strip, including senior Hamas figures hosted in Qatar.”
According to the Mossad, “The only media-related issue raised at the meeting was a clear demand by the United States and Israel that Qatar act regarding Al Jazeera’s negative coverage, which encourages hatred, antisemitism and terror, and a firm demand that Qatar cease spreading false narratives and incitement against the State of Israel worldwide through multiple platforms.”
Despite the Mossad’s response, Liberman said he stood by his remarks. “All the details regarding the meeting between the Mossad chief and Qatari representatives in New York are correct,” he said. “The briefings coming out of the prime minister’s office are exactly like the hysterical briefings following my warning during Sukkot about the Iranian threat. There is nothing new under the sun.”