During the dinner given at the Elysée on Tuesday February 27, the Emir of Qatar, Tamim Ben Hamad Al Thani, denounced the “genocide” underway, according to him, in the Gaza Strip. The war between Israel and Hamas, after the Hamas terrorist attacks of October 7, 2023, formed the backdrop for the Qatari leader’s first state visit to France since coming to power in 2013. By trying to delve deeper relations with this country, an essential intermediary between Israel and Hamas, Emmanuel Macron seeks to increase his capacity to influence the Middle East.
In a joint statement, the two men called for a “immediate and lasting ceasefire”while recalling their “opposition to an offensive against Rafah”, which Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu regularly threatens. They also discussed the fate of the hostages still held in the Gaza Strip since October 7, 2023, including three Franco-Israelis, while negotiations, carried out under the aegis of Qatar, continue with a view to their release and a truce in the fighting.
The two countries signed a declaration of intent on humanitarian cooperation, particularly in Gaza, including a joint commitment of 200 million euros in favor of the Palestinians. This funding comes at a time when the UN agency responsible for refugees is weakened by the suspension of funding from its main donors, led by the United States, after Israel accused twelve of its agents of having participated in the attack of October 7, 2023. France and Qatar also chartered humanitarian and medical aid to El-Arich, the Egyptian port near Rafah, including 75 tons of freight, ten ambulances, food rations as well as nearly 300 tents family.
Paris hopes that Doha will increase its support for the Lebanese armed forces, likely to be deployed in the buffer zone of southern Lebanon, with a view to a withdrawal of Hezbollah militiamen from this area. A way to dissuade Israel from attacking Lebanon, in order to weaken the movement close to Iran and avoid a regional war. No definitive announcement has been made. But in their joint declaration, the two States say “willing to continue their support for the Lebanese armed forces, in particular through the organization of an international conference in Paris”the date of which is not specified.
A “relationship well and truly relaunched”
“Additional support from Qatar for the Lebanese armed forces cannot be ruled out, Qatar is the only Gulf country that has agreed to support Lebanon”, says Cinzia Bianco, Gulf specialist at the European Council on Foreign Relations. For her, if the diplomatic results of the visit are modest, in a context of persistent blockage of negotiations on a truce, “the relationship between France and Qatar has indeed been relaunched”.
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