Despite the fact that Qatar, under pressure from the GCC, has labelled Hezbollah a terrorist organization, the ministate continues to closely support the terrorist entity on the ground. Qatari agreements are of no value. Tamim Bin Hamad has said that Hezbollah is a resistance group, and “it’s not wise to make an enemy out of Iran,” according to Qatar’s state news agency.
Qatari relations with Hezbollah began when Tamim took over four years ago, its support for the terrorist militia has made it much more powerful than other Lebanese entities. Now, Syria, Iran, and Qatar are a regional alliance that threatens moderate, peaceful Arab states, and may eventually transform the entire region.
Despite exchanging recriminations over responsibility for Syria's dire state, the two sides are keen on maintaining at least one channel of communication. In December of 2013, Hezbollah’s Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah said that Qatar and Hezbollah, despite political differences, share common goals.
“Qatar may reconsider its stance and strategy in the region, we both discussed finding a political solution to the Syrian crisis and keeping Lebanon out of trouble...Doha wishes to break the ice with Assad through Hezbollah,” Nasrallah said in a meeting with the Lebanese channel OTV.
In April of last year, Qatar completed a deal with Hezbollah to release 26 fishermen that were captured on the Syrian-Iraqi border in January of 2016. Qatar also worked with Hezbollah to displace residents of Madaya and Zabadani.
***