The United States should have taken this step long ago. By finally telling Qatar that hosting Hamas in Doha is unacceptable, the U.S. is only now addressing a glaring issue that has persisted for over a decade. This delay has allowed Hamas to enjoy the luxury of a political base, comfortably operating out of Qatar while directing terror and chaos in the region. For years, Doha has provided Hamas leaders with a safe haven under the pretense of facilitating dialogue, a justification that has served as little more than a smokescreen for harboring a terrorist organization.
The recent rejection by Hamas of a hostage deal should have been the last straw, yet it is baffling that it took this long for the U.S. to demand accountability. Qatar’s response—only now instructing Hamas leaders to leave—reveals a level of complacency that has emboldened the group. The time wasted in tolerating Hamas’s presence has contributed directly to the suffering and instability in the region. By providing Hamas a political stage, Qatar has played a pivotal role in allowing the group to legitimize itself on the world stage while continuing its campaign of violence.
This belated action underscores a broader failure in U.S. foreign policy, which has often prioritized maintaining strategic alliances over taking a firm stance against state-sponsored terror. For years, the U.S. turned a blind eye, allowing Qatar to pose as a mediator while enabling one of the most destructive forces in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. The demand for Hamas to vacate Doha is a positive step, but it is far too little and much too late to undo the damage already done.
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