Qatar is the go-to mediator in the Mideast war. Its unprecedented Tel Aviv trip saved a shaky truce
By ISABEL DEBRE
Associated Press
JERUSALEM (AP) — The hostage deal had seemed on the verge of unraveling. Hamas had accused Israel of failing to keep its side of the bargain and Israel threatened to resume its lethal onslaught on the Gaza Strip. Within hours on Saturday a Qatari business jet landed in Tel Aviv. Qatari negotiators set to work to save the cease-fire deal between Israel and Gaza’s Hamas rulers before weeks of high-stakes diplomatic wrangling were scuttled. The first public visit by Qatari officials to Israel marked an extraordinary moment for the two countries, which have no official diplomatic relations. It also underscored the major role of the tiny emirate in bridging differences between the enemies.