There can be no negotiations with Israel as the Jewish people are “slayers of prophets,” a top Qatari official told representatives at a recent Arab League summit, according to a translation of the speech the Middle East Media Research Institute (MEMRI) published on Wednesday.
Essa bin Ahmad al-Nassr, who serves on Doha’s Shura Council legislature and holds the rank of brigadier-general in the Qatari Armed Forces’ elite Emiri Guard protection unit, threatened the annihilation of the Jewish state.
Qatar, which hosts Hamas leaders and has provided the terrorist organization with hundreds of millions of dollars, played a role last year in mediating the release of 105 hostages from Gaza in exchange for 240 Palestinian terrorists.
It has previously deflected accusations of playing a double game, saying the United States requested that it open that mediation channel.
The undated footage of al-Nassr’s speech was first shared to X by Al Jazeera correspondent in Yemen Ahmed Alshalfi on April 22.
In his remarks to the Arab League, al-Nassr said that “there can be no peace or negotiations with the Zionist entity [Israel] for one reason and one reason only: Their faith does not allow for negotiations.
“Rather, it [condones] deception, the violation of agreements and lies,” the Qatari official continued, claiming that the Jewish faith “only accept[s] one thing—killing. They are the slayers of prophets.”
Quoting the Quran, he said, “The Al-Aqsa Flood operation is only the introduction of the annihilation of the corruption that the Zionist entity has spread … Inshallah [“God willing”], this will spell the beginning of the end for their state.”
Al-Aqsa Flood is the name given by Hamas to its Oct. 7 massacre of more than 1,200 people, primarily Jewish civilians, in the northwestern Negev. Terrorists also took 253 hostages, 133 of whom remain in Gaza.
Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani claimed last week that talks for their release had hit a delicate stage. “We are going through a sensitive stage with some stalling, and we are trying as much as possible to address this,” said Sheikh Mohammed, who also serves as foreign minister.
One day later, the Qatari leader announced that Doha would be reviewing its position as mediator between Israel and Hemas, citing “misuse of this mediation for narrow political interests.”
The announcement came after U.S. Rep. Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) said that Washington should “reevaluate” its relationship with Doha over the stalled hostage negotiations with the Gaza terrorist group.
Qatar should threaten Hamas with “repercussions” if the terrorist group “continues to block progress towards releasing the hostages and establishing a temporary ceasefire,” said Hoyer.
While Israel has shown flexibility, Hamas has impeded an agreement, U.S. State Department Spokesman Matthew Miller said on April 15.