Qatari vehicle in the diplomat quarter of Tel Aviv

CAIRO – 3 June 2017: A red Ford luxury vehicle with Qatari license plates appeared in the heart of the diplomats’ quarter in Tel Aviv, Israeli Yediot Ahronot magazine reported. This news may illustrate the recent statements attributed to Qatari Prince Tamim bin Hamad bin Khalifa Al-Thani weeks ago, in which he praised the Qatari relations with Israel and Iran.

The Israeli newspaper wondered how that truck entered Tel Aviv, although there is no official diplomatic relationship between the two countries.

Political experts expect Qatar may surprise the Arab world and announce plans to open an embassy in Israel. If this step is taken by the Qatar administration, Qatar will be the first Gulf state to open an embassy in Israel, at a time in which its ties to Arab states including Egypt, Kuwait, Bahrain and United Arab Emirates seem to be degrading.


Qatari-Israeli relations


Qatari former Prince Khalifa bin Hamad Al-Thani visited Israel for the first time in 2009, following the Israeli war against Gaza Strip known as “Operation Cast Lead”.

Israeli former President Shimon Peres visited Doha in 1996 to sign gas agreements, open Israeli commercial bureau in Doha and establish the Qatari gas stock market in Tel
Aviv.

Tel Aviv exports machinery and equipment to Doha, while Turkey and Cyprus operate as brokers between the two countries. The commercial exchange between them reached $ 7 billion in 2015, according to the Israeli newspaper. Approximately 75% of all Israeli machinery exports go to Qatar.

Israeli Calcalist newspaper revealed Qatari royal prince Khalifa Al-Thani visited Israel in November 2013 to sign many technology and business agreements.

In 2016, Qatar was the first Gulf state to allow raising the Israeli flag. It allowed the Israeli beach volleyball team to raise their flag in Doha, as the first volleyball players to participate in a competition in an Arab country.