An activist told the Jerusalem Post that he rejected the Gulf nation’s narrative
Israelis from Jerusalem and Tel Aviv issued warnings last week to posters and placards to warn of different areas of Kaqatar decorating major cities. The grassroots movement focused on Qatar’s support for Hamas, links with terrorists such as Muslim Brotherhood leader Sheikh Youssef Qaradawi, the impact on U.S. campuses, acknowledging the wealthy Gulf of Mexico countries as “terrorist states” and leading social media claims “not concealing Qatar.”
The Jerusalem Post managed to contact members of an anonymous activist group to learn more about the campaign and its future goals and plans.
“Our mission is to uncover the toxic effects of Qatar in Israel and the wider world,” they said. “Through posters, social media and a strategic PR campaign, it is a coordinated effort to lag behind the whitewashed image of the affluent Bay State that has been carefully crafted and artificially swelled.”
They continued: “Our goal is to reduce Qatar’s influence in Israel while demolishing the false image that the royal family has built through years of public relations.” According to activists, Qatar’s presence in Israel is spread across various departments, from academia (where students are provided scholarships to the media) to the media, and Prime Minister Kathari is often given what they call “improper legitimacy and presence of the stage.”
The campaign was officially launched to remind Israelis that organizers believe Qatar’s secret operation – “soft and sinister. For years, we have been told Iran is our main threat,” the source commented: “But no one talks about Qatar, which is funding billions of dollars of terrorism and promoting opposition narratives in the west.”
The campaign began with dozens of volunteers. “We have hung thousands of posters and stickers in major cities and across university campuses. Meanwhile, we are pushing for concise and targeted content on social media.” The message is clear: Qatar is not a benign investor or neutral mediator; they believe it is “a terrorist state sponsor with long-term contact with groups like Hamas.”
Challenge narrative
At the heart of the event is to undermine what organizers consider to be the goal of Qatar’s global messaging strategy. “They hired the best PR companies in the world,” the source noted. They added, “But anyone who digs deeper and sees twisted and thorough lies. The question we’ve been asking is: Why does their prime minister continue to appear in our media? It’s because Israel’s public opinion is important to them.” They refer to Katari’s interview with Israeli officials on the Israeli media, as the Israel-Hamas war began the article.
One of the campaign’s strategic goals is to take the most harm to Qatar – an international reputation, said one activist. “They care a lot about their image. The dent of the brand may actually prompt them to take different actions to protect it.” They hope that this includes increasing pressure on Qatar to play a more meaningful and honest role in the hostage crisis involving Hamas, a protégé of the Gulf country.
According to the organizers, their ultimate goal is to get Israel to pass legislation that declares Qatar as its enemy country. “We cannot allow a state of terror to enter our businesses, institutions or our academia without restrictions. Especially when they serve as customers of the Muslim Brotherhood and its armed branches.” It is worth noting that last month the Minister’s Legislative Council approved the bill to designate Qatar as a terrorist state, but there has been no further measures since.
When asked about public reactions, the source said the response ranged from enthusiasm to suspicion. “A lot of people support us and even share our material. Others question the novelty of our claims, saying things like ‘We already know the problem in Qatar.'”
But activists believe that this superficial level of understanding is not enough. “People don’t realize how Qatar is embedded. Just look at their participation in Syria, where they are now paying public wages, just like they used to be in Gaza or Egypt, with which they have recently eased tensions. [Abdel Fattah el-] SISI is investing billions of dollars. ”
Future steps
Asked about the next phase of the campaign, activists said they plan to double their local awareness before international expansion. “There are scholars with connections to Kathari, stadiums named after Doha, with Israeli businessmen working with them. These connections must be exposed.”
Campaigners are also preparing new content to combat misunderstandings they see as dangerous. “One of the common myths we want to address is that the United States and Israel “forced” Qatar to support Hamas.
They also highlighted the issue of Qatar’s “interest-driven” mediation in the hostage crisis. “Qatar has a clear interest in maintaining Hamas’ power. This runs directly against our interest, which is to completely remove Hamas and prevent October 7.”
“Nearly two years later, the war is still going on, the hostages remain in Gaza, and Qatar (although all “mediation”) has not addressed the problems it helps to cause. We need to stop seeing it as an essential broker. Egypt, other Gulf countries, and even the United States alternative.
The campaign maintains the presence of social media platforms under the handle @UnMaskQatar on Instagram, X/Twitter and Facebook. “We encourage people to follow and share. Every voice is important.”
Although the anonymous leaders of the campaign operate in the spotlight, their message hopes that their message will go beyond Israel’s borders. “We’re not just fighting PR,” the leader concluded. “We’re fighting for the security of our institutions, our nation and the integrity of the truth.”
