Brian Nelson, the Under Secretary of the Treasury for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence in the Biden administration, engaged in a crucial diplomatic meeting last night with senior representatives from Qatar. The objective of this meeting was to persuade Qatar to cease its support for entities that financially back Hamas within their borders. Furthermore, Nelson issued a stern warning about the potential imposition of sanctions if such activities persisted. His message, however, extended beyond Qatar; it was also directed at Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates.

The United States, in conjunction with several other nations, has previously imposed sanctions on individuals associated with Hamas, including financiers who were suspected of contributing to the organization's international investment portfolio, which has grown to encompass hundreds of millions of dollars. Just last week, the U.S. administration imposed sanctions on ten Hamas members operating from Qatar and Turkey. The U.S. Secretary of the Treasury emphasized that swift and decisive action would be taken against those financing Hamas, especially in the wake of the recent tragic events in Israel, particularly those involving children.

Hamas killed civilians. Watch prominent Hamas member Khaled Meshaal desperately try and lie about it from his fancy home in Qatar. pic.twitter.com/LgMAnUtAit

— HonestReporting (@HonestReporting) October 25, 2023

Brian Nelson himself articulated, "The current situation underscores the urgency and significance of our efforts at the Center against terrorist financing. We have also observed additional factors triggering attacks in various Middle Eastern countries, including Lebanon, Iraq, and the Persian Gulf. It is imperative to convey to these actors that there will be consequences for their actions, as inaction only fuels instability." It is worth noting that Qatar has publicly declared its willingness to allow senior Hamas officials to remain within its borders, primarily because of their ongoing mediation efforts aimed at securing the release of hostages held in Gaza.

Simultaneously, while maintaining a close relationship with the United States, Qatar occupies a unique position as the only Arab nation with substantial influence over Hamas. Beyond the matter of financial support, Qatar provides a safe haven for the political leadership of Hamas within its territory. This includes prominent figures such as Ismail Haniyeh, the chairman of the Political Bureau, his predecessor Khaled Mashal, and Saleh Al-Arouri, who is considered one of the instigators of Hamas' acts of terrorism. Al-Arouri has visited Doha on several occasions in the past.

🇶🇦 Qatar funds Hamas (billions of $)
🇶🇦 Qatar supports Hamas
🇶🇦 Qatar hosts Hamas leaders
🇶🇦 Qatar spreads terrorists' propaganda (Al Jazeera)

Qatar must be held accountable!#BoycottQatar pic.twitter.com/PYtjZVh12a

— Dr. Eli David (@DrEliDavid) October 25, 2023

Admittedly, the dynamics of the relationship between Qatar and Hamas have become more intricate in recent months due to Hamas' renewed ties with the Assad regime in Syria. Nonetheless, at the present juncture, Qatar remains the closest country to Hamas within the Arabian Gulf region.