In an interview with Israel's Channel 12 News, former Israeli Defence Minister Avigdor Liberman revealed details about a secret visit to Qatar by Mossad Chief Yossi Cohen and the Israeli military's chief of Southern Command Herzl Halevi to allegedly "beg the Qataris to keep pouring money into Hamas."

Mossad chief visited Doha, urged Qataris to continue Gaza financial aid https://t.co/aQ0Ic3xfMm — Haaretz.com (@haaretzcom) February 22, 2020

During the live interview, Liberman expressed his anger at the Israeli government headed by Benjamin Netanyahu for what he considered as "surrendering to terrorism."

He added: "Both the Egyptians and the Qataris were angry with Hamas and they were planning to cut all ties with them. All of a sudden Netanyahu stepped up as a Hamas advocate and pressured Egypt and the Qataris to continue the financial support."

يعني الصهاينة يتوسطون لدى قطر لدفع مبالغ لحماس🤭

الموضوع يجنن العاقل! — lion (@lion15226772) February 23, 2020

Translation: "Does this mean that Israel is asking Qatar to pay money for Hamas? This drives me crazy!"

According to Walla news website, Cohen and Halevi arrived in Doha on the 5th of February for a 24-hour visit during which they met with the Qatari envoy to the Gaza Strip Mohammed al-Emadi and Qatari national security adviser Mohammed Bin Ahmed al-Misnad.

WHY would they do that? Giving Gaza more money means more rockets and balloons — kieth Ehredt (@BREWCREW1313) February 22, 2020

The website linked this news with what it described as the "on-going negotiations between Israel and Hamas aiming at deescalating the tension, mediated by Qatar."

Last Tuesday, a senior Qatari official announced Qatar's plans to "continue its humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip for another six months, including paying for electricity and helping poor families."

يتناقشون في وسائل تنفيذ صفقة القرن والخطط الباطنية لتحقيقها — أبو عبد الله الغامدي🇸🇦 جدة (@aqaralfaiha) February 23, 2020

Translation: "They must be discussing ways to implement the deal of the century and everything that goes into achieving it."

Online commentators wondered whether these leaks were intended to target Netanyahu's election campaign, especially that Liberman has made several remarks attacking the prime minister's policies on the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip.

Mossad chief Yossi Cohen and Southern Command Maj. Gen. Halevi went to Qatar to meet to ask them to make a deal with Hamas.



This is a huge deal in of itself, but we know this because Liberman broke an IDF censor order, and a week before an election, that'll probably be the focus — Lahav Harkov (@LahavHarkov) February 22, 2020

Other social media users argued that supporting Hamas and driving it further away from other Palestinian parties, most notably the Palestinian Authority, is in Israel's best interest, as deepening the conflict between Hamas and Fatah buys Israel more time to build more settlements and evade real peace talks with the Palestinians.

لا العاقل بيعرف أن الانقسام الفلسطيني من ٢٠٠٦ حتى اليوم من مصلحة الكيان الصهيوني .

متى ما انتهى الانقسام سيصبح الوضع الفلسطيني أفضل و هذا ما لا يريده الكيان الصيهوني — الوليد الدعجاني (@alwaleedDajani) February 23, 2020

Translation: "The wise ones know that the Palestinian division that has been going on since 2006 is in Israel's best interest. Whenever it ends Palestinians will be in a better position which is exactly what they don't want."