Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett said in an interview with Channel 12 that Qatar today poses a greater threat to the country than Iran.

According to Bennett, the difference between the two countries is that Iran openly declares its intention to destroy Israel, whereas Qatar, in his view, acts in less visible ways.

“Qatar funded the Nukhba terrorists on October 7… runs Al Jazeera, which is the most poisonous cancer affecting us… influences American universities,” the former prime minister said.

He also claims that the main source of danger is Qatar’s influence within Israel’s political system. Bennett apparently was referring to reports about former and current advisers to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who are suspected of taking part in a campaign to improve Qatar’s image after Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7, 2023.

Bennett said that Qatar “acts against Israel and poisons it from within,” and also criticized the fact that the country is not officially considered a hostile state.

“Israel’s most dangerous enemy is not defined as an enemy state,” he said, adding that there may be researchers, public figures, and even officials in the country who receive funding from Qatar.

The former prime minister promised that if the next government is formed, Israel will declare Qatar a hostile state, calling the current situation “unforgivable.”

At the same time, Qatar remains one of the key mediators in negotiations between Israel and Hamas on the release of hostages and a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip.