EXCLUSIVE Israel's continued bombardment of Gaza risks radicalising a generation, adviser to the Qatari Prime Minister Dr Majed Al-Ansari tells the Mail's 'Apocalypse Now?' podcast
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Israel 's continued bombardment of Gaza risks fanning the flames of extremism in the region, spokesperson for the Qatari Foreign Ministry Dr Majed Al-Ansari has told the Mail's 'Apocalypse Now?' podcast.
Dr Al-Ansari said that Nethayahu's decision to strike Gaza while Qatar mediates hostage negations with Hamas 'frustrated' the nation.
Speaking to the Mail's special correspondent David Patrikarakos, he also confirmed that talks are ongoing with the Trump administration to replace Air Force One with a $400 million luxury Qatari plane.
Asked about the recent release of Israeli hostage Eden Alexander, Dr Al-Ansari said Qatar played a pivotal role in the negotiations and added that the nation feared continued IDF (Israeli Defence Force) airstrikes could derail the deal.
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'We had been pressuring as much as possible to get Eden Alexander home. It was a very difficult situation', he said.
'Israel bombed a location that was very near to him, and we were afraid he was dead. Thankfully, he was confirmed alive days before the exchange happened.
'We must remember that as he goes home to his family, other hostages are still in captivity and 2.3 million people in Gaza are still suffering from bombardments.
'We are very frustrated by the fact that this hostage and ceasefire deal – which President Trump reiterated yesterday in Doha was supposed to build new momentum – Israel chooses the next day to continue their war.
'They have shown they are not interested in a deal by killing more than 80 Palestinians today, including 22 children – bombing a hospital.'
The advisor to the Qatari Prime Minister urged the Israeli government to 'go back to the negotiating table' or risk creating a generation of displaced Gazans who 'feel hatred' towards Jerusalem.
'We hope that the Israeli government realises its responsibility to come back to the negotiating table in good faith', Dr Al-Ansari said.
'We must find a way out of this rabbit hole – that will just keep being dug until we find ourselves in a regional crisis that we can't control.
'Nobody should assume that people who have been displaced from their lands, people under occupation – will grow up to be productive members without a feeling of vengeance, a feeling of hatred linked to them.
'We now have a generation that will live on thinking of only one thing: the bombardment of civilians in Gaza – we need to walk back from that, Qatar is doing its part, and I hope the rest of the world will pitch in.'
On rumors Qatar Trump is eager to replace Air Force One with a luxury Qatari plane, Dr Al-Ansari confirmed talks were occurring between governments.
However, he said the story had been 'blown out of proportion' in the media, with Trump only looking to borrow the Qatari plane until Boeing finishes the construction of a new, upgraded Air Force One.
He told host Patrianakos: 'This whole issue has been blown out of proportion. There are talks between Defence departments here in Qatar about the possibility of transferring the use of this plane to the US to be used as Air Force One but only until a new Boeing plane is finished.
'It means the President can enjoy a new, much safer, and much more secure plane – and it's part of our wider defence and security partnership with the US.'
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