Why does Qatar host Hamas's political office?

"Qatar has hosted Hamas's political office since 2012, after what Qatari officials say were requests from the United States. The Gulf nation of Qatar has long served as a mediator, both in the Middle East and further afield. The country has good relations with nations that oppose each other, such as the United States and Iran, and therefore serves as a location where conversations can happen between adversaries."

"The presence of many leaders from the Palestinian group Hamas in Doha has meant that the city has become a base for negotiations to end Israel's war on Gaza and secure the release of Israeli captives held in the enclave. list of 3 itemsend of list But that looks like it is in jeopardy following Israel's attack on several Hamas leaders in Doha on Tuesday. Why are those leaders based in Qatar? And what is Qatar's relationship with the Palestinian movement? Let's take a closer look: Hamas first opened its political office in Qatar in 2012, after leaders including Khaled Meshaal left Syria a year after the war in that country began."

"Qatari officials have repeatedly said that the decision to host the Hamas leadership came after a request from the United States. In a 2023 opinion piece for the Wall Street Journal (WSJ), the Qatari ambassador to the US, Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani, said that Washington wanted the office to establish indirect lines of communication with Hamas. Various senior Hamas leaders are based in Qatar or have been based there as a result of the opening of the Hamas office."

Qatar has hosted Hamas's political office since 2012 after Hamas leaders left Syria in 2011. Qatari officials say the United States requested the hosting to enable indirect communication with Hamas. Qatar maintains relations with adversarial states like the United States and Iran, allowing it to serve as a mediator and venue for talks. The concentration of Hamas leaders in Doha turned the city into a base for negotiating an end to Israel's war on Gaza and securing the release of Israeli captives. Recent Israeli attacks on Hamas leaders in Doha have jeopardized Qatar's mediator role and the safety of exiled leadership.

Read at www.aljazeera.com