Minister of Economy and Industry Nir Barkat (Likud) bashed Qatar and called it "the biggest funder of terror in the world."

In an on-stage interview at the Israel Defense and Security Forum (IDSF) and Channel 14 Conference, Barkat stated: "They (Qatar) fund the Taliban, ISIS, Hamas, and Hezbollah. They also fund the Muslim Brotherhood around the world."

He added that Qatar invests large sums, estimated at a trillion dollars, in various fields around the world, including campuses in the US and sports teams, to obtain influence.

Barkat presented Qatar as a "wolf in sheep's clothing" and called for decisive measures to distance it from Israel by any means.

"They have no place here. I said it back in May of 2024: Get rid of anyone who dealt with them in the past. Who knows what they're doing behind the scenes; they buy everyone," he warned.

According to Barkat, there is a need for legislation that classifies Qatar as a terror-supporting state, and it should be considered a "bitter enemy."

He called on Israel to distance itself from Qatar and to see it as a harmful entity, and he even called into doubt its contribution to the hostage negotiations."We simply need to get rid of them, kick them out. In my opinion, they are great harm to the hostage negotiations as well."

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu released a video in which he sought to shed light on the "Qatar Gate" affair. Among other things, he claimed that Qatar is not an enemy state but rather a complex issue, noting that recent opposition leaders have also praised the country.