Israel Defends, Qatar Destabilizes

Ruth Wasserman Lande rejects the notion that Israel is an aggressor, arguing it is a small country that only responds to attacks, as demonstrated by the unprovoked massacre and kidnapping of its citizens on October 7th. She accuses Qatar of playing a “double game” by fueling regional instability while posturing as a mediator, noting that other Gulf states like Saudi Arabia have “zero trust” in Qatar for this reason. She draws a sharp distinction between Qatar and countries like Saudi Arabia, which, unlike Qatar, do not harbor terrorist leaders from Hamas or the Muslim Brotherhood who call for the murder of Israeli civilians. Finally, she asserts that Israel has no intention of harming Gazan civilians and that the IDF actively tries to secure their evacuation from combat zones.

The interview took place in Al Arabiya, on September 29, 2025.