The Problem of America’s ‘Frenemies’ and Hamas

Qatar and Turkey pose as friends of the U.S. while providing support and safe harbor for its enemies. This must change.

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Hamas’ political bureau chief Ismail Haniyeh addresses supporters during a rally in solidarity with Palestinians outside the Imam Muhammad Abdel-Wahhab Mosque in Doha, Qatar, May 15, 2021.

Karim Jaafar/AFP via Getty Images

The horrific acts of terrorism that emerged from Gaza on October 7 are without recent precedent. The atrocities are being described by Israelis as the worst since the Holocaust. Such acts of savagery call for reevaluating our existing alliances and relationships and reorienting our diplomacy.

The sad truth of the matter is that two formal U.S. allies, Turkey and Qatar, are, apart from Iran, the most important state sponsors of Hamas in the world. Neither hides the fact that they work directly with, provide shelter for, fund, and otherwise ensure Hamas’s flourishing. The U.S. must force our “frenemies” to make a choice: Change direction on Hamas and its terrorist friends and associates, or face a seriously ruptured relationship with the U.S., including existing military, financial, intelligence, and other cooperative ventures.

Clifford Smith

About the Author

Clifford Smith

Cliff Smith is a lawyer, a freelance journalist, and a former congressional staffer. He works on issues related to national security and radicalization.

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