Saudi Gazette Report

JEDDAH — Israel’s former Defense Minister Avigdor Lieberman has spilled the beans on Qatar’s behind the scenes wheeling and dealing with the Jewish state.

In an interview to an Israeli TV channel on Saturday, Lieberman claimed that the director of the Israeli Mossad and an army general in charge of the Israeli army southern operations paid a secret visit to Doha earlier this month and met with the head of Qatari intelligence.

During their stay in Doha, Mossad Director Yossi Cohen and Israeli military's chief of Southern Command Herzl Halevi met with Mohammed Bin Ahmed Al-Misnad, the head of Qatari intelligence and an adviser to the Emir of Qatar for national security, according to Israeli media reports.

Meanwhile, Lieberman, who is also the leader of Israel’s the Yisrael Beytenu party, confirmed the secret meeting, saying that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu sent Cohen to Doha on Feb. 5 to ensure Qatar continues its financial aid policy to Hamas.

The meeting was also attended by Qatari Ambassador Mohammed Al-Emadi, the chairman of Qatar's Gaza Reconstruction Committee.