00:00Joining me in the studio is Bertrand Bessonneau, a former French ambassador to Qatar and Saudi
00:07Arabia.
00:08Ambassador, thank you again for coming in.
00:10This attack happening as the word was that the Israelis were about to sign off on a ceasefire
00:16agreement.
00:17We even had the Israeli Foreign Minister at a press conference in Budapest yesterday saying
00:20as such, which had been drafted with the help of the Trump administration to end the war
00:26in Gaza.
00:27I take it today's attack means that's probably not going to go ahead.
00:32Well, I think so, because unfortunately, and speaking personally, I am really shocked to
00:39see what happened because, of course, Qatar is a friendly country to France as well as
00:45to the US, and also because it is another violation of the international law.
00:51This is very clear.
00:52Now, we have to understand why this happens.
00:55The negotiations on the freeing of the hostages were not, we didn't have any clear message
01:04on that.
01:06People were trying to be optimistic, but it was difficult to know.
01:09Now, what is clear is that, of course, I don't see how you can go on this negotiation after
01:17what happened, because especially it was the team who was supposed to be negotiating with
01:23the Israelis on the freeing of the hostages.
01:27So it is a clear message that the Netanyahu government don't believe anymore in any possible negotiation.
01:36And it is pursuing this uncompromising policy in the region, which, of course, is worrying because
01:45everybody was expecting at least to find some kind of understanding, but it is not at all what is happening.
01:52And of course, for the Qataris, it is a shock because they are close allies to the US.
01:59And this was said that they are having the basis in the on their side.
02:07And and they have played a very positive role in order to try to find a solution to the hostage crisis, which was a very difficult exercise.
02:18So now everybody is wondering what would happen afterward.
02:22And apparently we are entering a time of confrontation and of no more negotiation, which by itself is not a very encouraging message.
02:33Is it not also the case that it seems Israel is adopting the same policy towards Hamas as it did with Hezbollah over the last year or so,
02:41where it's specifically targeting military and political leadership as a way of cutting off the head of this these organizations?
02:51Netanyahu has always been very clear that he wanted to eliminate completely the Hamas.
02:58But at the same time, he was negotiating with them.
03:02And I would say since the beginning.
03:04So it is a change of policy anyway, because it means that there won't be, I suppose,
03:10no more negotiating with whom and that he will go on with his policy in Gaza, which is, of course, very worrying for humanitarian reasons,
03:20but also for all those who are trying to find a political solution to the Palestinian issue, in particular, the Saudi French initiative in New York with the conference on the solution of two states.
03:34It means that the conditions will be difficult for these negotiations.
03:42Many things will, of course, depend on on President Trump policy.
03:48Now, it is difficult to imagine what will be his position, because it is clear that for the Gulf countries who have received him as a king in Riyadh in last May,
04:04and where they had the feeling that there was a commitment from the Trump administration to be a mediator and to try to find a solution.
04:14Of course, we are not anymore in this case.
04:17So for many people, it is a very worrying situation.
04:23And Qatar likes to see itself as the Switzerland of the region and being a key participant in bridging any divide in the region.
04:33Given what's happened today, what impact is it going to have on Qatar itself?
04:38But attacking the mediator is not a policy, of course.
04:41And for the Qataris, who has spent so many efforts and energy on trying to find a proper solution, it is extremely disappointing, I may say.
04:54They were relying on the Trump administration to be a kind of policymaker.
05:03Now, it is difficult.
05:05Everybody is wondering what will be the next step.
05:07Well, we know that there will be apparently an attack on Gaza, which has already started.
05:16But now, if you want to find a proper solution, the elements are apparently disappearing.
05:24If you don't have any more any negotiating, negotiation, and if the hostages, I don't know how they can be freed in these conditions.
05:37So it is extremely worrying.
05:40Where does this leave the international community, especially the European Union?
05:45You know, as you know, the European Union is unfortunately divided on the Palestinian issue.
05:53But there is a move nowadays.
05:56And after what President Macron has announced, the recognition of the state of Palestine, there are other European states who are going in the same direction.
06:07And of course, the idea is to rally the broader group of countries to show that the solution of two states is the only one which is reasonable.
06:17Now, of course, with the policy, which is the Netanyahu's government policy now, and with the reaction that you will see in the whole Arab world, not only the Gulf countries, but the whole Arab world, I think that we are entering a very difficult period.
06:37And of course, Hamas has had a complicated relationship with Qatar, its host.
06:43I mean, it's been based there, its political leadership for a number of years.
06:47I mean, as a result, where does this leave the Palestinians themselves, particularly people in Gaza?
06:56No, particularly as at a time where there was a kind of understanding that the Hamas won't have any specific role in what should happen in Gaza and in a future Palestinian state.
07:12So this was an understanding that was shared by all the Arab states as well.
07:17So it gives the feeling that there is a sense of pursuing an uncompromising policy without taking care of any of the other expectations from other partners.
07:32So this is where there is a real problem, because I fear that it will be a message of confrontation instead of a message of trying to find a solution at the end.
07:43Of course, as a diplomat, we know that all efforts will be tried anyway.
07:48And we will see that at the General Assembly of the United Nations, where the idea of working seriously on the two-state solution will be followed, of course.
08:01But the conditions are made more difficult.
08:04But what happened today?
08:07Ambassador Bertrand Bessonot, it's been a pleasure having you.
08:10Thank you so much.
08:11Thank you very much.
Comments