Gift or grift? The tiny Persian Gulf emirate of Qatar has just given the United States a 747 jet to serve as the new Air Force One. But what exactly is Qatar getting in return?

Qatar is an insanely wealthy country. Its citizenry is estimated to be 330,000 (with another 1.7 million foreigners serving as hired help on the peninsula). And yet the country controls more than 10 per cent of the world's energy. In other words, money is no object for Doha. Influence is the name of the game.

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Once again a Trump administration is debating whether or not to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization. The last time around, during Trump's first term, the effort petered out amidst disagreements among Trump's then principals. This time around, the stars may be better aligned. However, the inevitable controversy surrounding such a move must still be managed. Islamist groups in the United States and beyond are expected to fight the measure through legal, media, and other means.

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The Department of Justice (DOJ) last month took a potentially giant step in the effort to combat the Palestinian terrorist group Hamas by asserting that UNRWA, unlike other UN agencies, is not immune from U.S. criminal and civil law. The decision may not just open the door for victims of October 7 to sue UNRWA for damages, it may enable the Treasury Department to impose terrorism sanctions and shut down a significant terror-financing threat.

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On March 7, the podcaster Tucker Carlson released an interview with Qatar's prime minister, Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani. It was a complete and fully conscious whitewashing of the regime's transgressions in recent years. Two weeks later, Secretary of State Marco Rubio praised the Qataris for helping to facilitate the release of Delta Airlines mechanic George Glezmann, whom the Taliban had held hostage for two and a half years. "We extend our deepest appreciation to the State of Qatar, whose steadfast commitment and diplomatic efforts were instrumental in securing George's release," the statement read. "Qatar has consistently proven to be a reliable partner and trusted mediator, facilitating complex negotiations."

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Turkey's History of Hamas SupportBy Jonathan Schanzer

Thousands of people rallied at Istanbul's iconic Galata Bridge on New Year's Day 2025 in support of the Palestinian cause and to protest Israel. Bilal Erdogan, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's son, was among its speakers. Bilal spoke of the "martyrs" of Palestine, including Yahya Sinwar, the architect of the October 7, 2023, slaughter of 1,200 Israelis. This is, by now, barely newsworthy given Ankara's long track record of pro-Hamas rhetoric. But the son of Turkey's strongman leader caught the attention of international observers when he stated, "we are here for ... Al-Aqsa Mosque, for Jerusalem."¹

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