Qatari PM says Netanyahu is ‘biggest obstacle’ to advancement of Gaza peace plan

Qatar’s prime minister accuses Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government of being the main impediment to the advancement of the US-backed Gaza peace plan.

“We have a long list of violations that, unfortunately, Netanyahu’s government are committing,” Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani tells CNN. “And basically, we have seen that he is the biggest obstacle right now in progressing this peace plan while everyone among the mediators trying to work very hard to make sure that this agreement uphold.”

He also again claims that Doha never provided funding to the Gaza-ruling Hamas terror group’s military wing, further pushing back on a recent report.

Asked about Qatari mediation between the US and Iran, Al-Thani calls for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, without explicitly denouncing Tehran for seeking to shutter the key waterway.

“Anyone who is using the waterways to block countries and to block the freedom of navigation. This is considered unacceptable. This is considered trying to strong-arm and we refuse any blockade or any blackmailing by any country or any party,” he says.

He also claims a “need to make sure that we do not represent any concern for the Iranians nor the Iranians represent a concern for us. We are neighbors. This is a destiny. We’ve been maintaining a good relationship with them for decades now.