Qatar’s ambassador to the U.S. rejects accusations of antisemitism on American college campuses

Qatar’s ambassador in Washington pushed back on the U.S. Ambassador to Israel’s claims that Qatari funding is driving growing antisemitism and anti-Israel sentiment among young Americans.Qatar’s ambassador to the U.S. Sheikh Meshal bin Hamad Al Thani has pushed back against accusations by U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee that Qatar and other countries are “pouring billions of dollars” into Middle East studies and “propaganda campaigns” in the U.S. to influence young people with anti-Israel sentiment.Sheikh Meshal called Huckabee’s comments “deeply disappointing” and “inaccurate” in a post on X on Tuesday.“It is deeply disappointing to see America’s senior-most representative to Israel speak so disparagingly—and inaccurately—about Qatar, a Major Non-NATO Ally and key strategic partner of the United States”, Sheikh Meshal said.“Qatar has nothing to do with antisemitism or anti-Israel sentiment on American college campuses”, he added.Sheikh Meshal pointed to former U.S. Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines’ testimony before the Senate Armed Services Committee on May 2, 2024, in which she said there was no evidence that Qatar was supporting pro-Palestinian and anti-Israel protests.It is deeply disappointing to see America’s senior-most representative to Israel @USAmbIsrael speak so disparagingly—and inaccurately—about Qatar, a Major Non-NATO Ally and key strategic partner of the United States.For the record, once again: Qatar has nothing to do with…— Meshal Hamad AlThani (@Amb_AlThani) September 1, 2026 “These allegations have been examined repeatedly and have not been substantiated at all. I and many others have addressed this point, repeatedly”, Qatar’s ambassador to the U.S. added.Huckabee made the accusations at a Republican Jewish Coalition event on Monday while discussing why anti-Israel narratives continue to gain traction, particularly among younger Americans. “There’s an enormous amount of cold, brutal cash that’s being poured into Middle East studies into the U.S., the propaganda campaigns funded by the Muslim Brotherhood, Qatar and other countries, who have poured billions of dollars to impress young minds”, Huckabee said. The dispute comes amid longstanding scrutiny in the U.S. over Qatar’s funding of American universities and the presence of U.S. institutions in Education City in Qatar.Rejecting the claims, Sheikh Meshal sought to clarify the scale and structure of Qatar’s financial support for these institutions.He said the “overwhelming majority” of Qatar’s funding goes towards operating American universities’ campuses in Qatar, which educate students in the country and across the region under American academic standards.“Because these are American universities, the funds generally flow through and are reported by their U.S.-based institutions”, Sheikh Meshal said.“That does not mean the money is being spent to influence students or political discourse on campuses in the United States”, Qatar’s ambassador in Washington added.Qatar’s Deputy Chief of Mission in Washington, Hamad Al Muftah, also weighed in on the accusations in a post on X, praising a recent Forbes article on Education City and Qatar Foundation’s efforts to develop a knowledge-based economy.“This is an incredibly important piece, from an interview with Francisco Marmolejo, President of Higher Education at the Qatar Foundation”, Al Muftah said.“It does a fantastic job outlining the origins of Qatar Foundation and our efforts to transition toward a knowledge-based economy.”Al Muftah said the article also highlighted the thousands of students who have graduated from Education City’s partner universities, as well as research and international partnerships developed there.He described Qatar Foundation as unique for hosting the highest concentration of American universities outside the U.S.He also noted that Marmolejo acknowledged reported controversies surrounding Qatar’s funding of partner universities, including concerns over political influence and the departure of Texas A&M, while making clear that the universities retain control over their academic and administrative affairs.Al Muftah rejected claims that Qatari funding promotes antisemitism or encourages American students to protest, describing such allegations as “disinformation campaigns” that distract from the broader rise in hate speech, including antisemitism and Islamophobia.Al Muftah accused critics of continuing to promote what he called “disinformation campaigns” linking Qatari funding to antisemitism and student protests, saying such claims risk turning Qatar into a “scapegoat.”However, Al Muftah accused critics of continuing to promote what he called “disinformation campaigns” linking Qatari funding to antisemitism and student protests, saying such claims risk turning Qatar into a “scapegoat.”The Forbes article, published on Monday, examined the development of Education City and Qatar Foundation’s role in funding its partner campuses.The article said Qatar Foundation provides the capital needed to build the campuses and covers their operating costs, including faculty and staff salaries, allowing partner universities to operate in Qatar without drawing on their U.S. campuses.In 2024, Texas A&M said it would shut down its Qatar campus after its Board of Regents voted in February 2024 to end its agreement with Qatar Foundation.The university said the decision was based on its focus on its main mission in Texas and the U.S., as well as instability in the region.The Qatar campus is expected to fully shut down by August 31, 2028.