Egypt Daily News – A prominent Israeli political analyst has revealed his government’s tendencies regarding the mediation file between Hamas and Israel, showing a clear preference for Qatar over Egypt in this matter. The political analyst Raviv Drucker told the Israeli newspaper Haaretz that this information came based on statements from a senior Israeli official involved in the recent exchange negotiations, who preferred to remain anonymous.
Drucker explained that decision-makers in Tel Aviv have adopted a clear position favoring Qatari mediation while deliberately weakening Egypt’s role in the negotiations.
He also pointed out “unusual practices” in managing the file, including secret visits organized by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Gulf countries without informing the current Mossad chief or key members of the main negotiation team.
The source added that Netanyahu’s team systematically undermined Egypt’s position whenever it tried to strengthen its negotiating role, responding to any Egyptian progress with countermeasures aimed at highlighting Qatar’s role. These practices have fueled suspicions of a premeditated plan to boost Qatar’s influence as the primary mediator in the file.
These statements come amid ongoing investigations into what is known as the “leak scandal to Doha,” where Israeli security agencies are conducting extensive inquiries into the possible involvement of figures close to Netanyahu in passing secret information to Qatari intelligence. The investigation includes high-ranking security officials, including a retired general suspected of acting as an illegal intermediary between the two sides.
These developments have sparked a political crisis within Israel, with political opponents accusing Netanyahu of exploiting the security file for personal political gains. Meanwhile, security experts warn that the ongoing investigations may reveal deeper breaches within the structure of the Israeli security establishment, raising the possibility of a larger network exerting foreign influence over decision-making in Tel Aviv.
