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Hitting back at Lapid, Likud publishes compilation of his remarks on boosting ties with Qatar

By Sam Sokol 17 February 2025, 6:38 pm 11 Edit

Sam Sokol is the Times of Israel's political correspondent. He was previously a reporter for the Jerusalem Post, Jewish Telegraphic Agency and Haaretz. He is the author of "Putin’s Hybrid War and the Jews"

Responding to Opposition Leader Yair Lapid’s criticism of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s aides’ ties with Qatar, the Likud party publishes a video compilation of his political rival discussing his own contacts with the Arab state.

This includes him saying that he had met with a senior Qatari official in Paris, and a statement by the former prime minister promising to arrange direct flights to the Arab country for the 2022 World Cup. He can also been seen mentioning the opening of a temporary Israeli office there during the course of the tournament.

The video was shared “in response to Lapid’s lies,” a Likud spokesman claims.

In November 2022, then prime minister Lapid announced an agreement with FIFA and Qatar to allow direct charter flights from Ben Gurion Airport to Qatar for the World Cup.

“This is great news for football fans and for all Israelis. After hard work over the course of many months, we have arranged for Israeli citizens to be able to fly to the World Cup in Qatar on direct flights, and the opening of an Israeli office in Qatar to provide services to fans coming for the World Cup,” Lapid said at the time.

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