(New York, N.Y.) — On Friday, Counter Extremism Project (CEP) Chief Executive Officer Ambassador Mark D. Wallace called on National Basketball Association (“NBA”) Commissioner Adam Silver to reject Qatar’s investment in the Washington Wizards. CEP’s October 20 letter advised Silver to reconsider the investment in light of Qatar’s well-documented support for the perpetrators of the October 7 massacre in Israel.
While Qatar-sponsored Hamas holds an estimated 222 hostages in Gaza—including Americans—the NBA is conducting due diligence on Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, the Qatar Investment Authority (QIA), which seeks a 5% stake in the Wizards’ owner, Monumental Sports & Entertainment. No serious due diligence process could possibly approve the State of Qatar.
Ambassador Wallace stated:
“In its most recent attempt to “sportswash” its long history of funding and supporting terrorists, Qatar is trying to buy its way into our nation’s capital by way of the Washington Wizards. No responsible party could allow such a purchase. At this precise moment, the NBA has a rare opportunity to send a powerful message to one of the world’s most notorious sponsors of terrorism. Qatar may not buy into beloved American institutions with one hand while funding barbarous acts of violence with the other.”
Qatar is utterly complicit in the harboring of Hamas leadership and the promotion of their activities:
Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh planned and celebrated the October 7 massacre from his office in Doha.
Former Hamas leader and Haniyeh’s predecessor, Khaled Meshaal, also celebrated the attacks from Qatar, where he lives in luxury and is still an active member of the terrorist organization.
- Mere hours after the slaughter on October 7, Qatar’s foreign ministry claimed to “hold Israel solely responsible for the ongoing escalation [i.e. the massacre of Israeli women and children by Hamas] due to its ongoing violations.”
- On October 12, Meshaal also used his platform in Qatar to echo Haniyeh’s address, calling for an October 13 “Day of Rage.”
- On October 14, Iran’s foreign minister met with Haniyeh in Qatar and congratulated him on his successful execution of thousands of innocent Israelis.
- Qatar hosted this meeting on the same day that it blatantly lied to reporters about Haniyeh’s presence in the country.
- On October 16, the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs refused to close Hamas’ political office or detain any senior Hamas figures.
- On October 19 while in Qatar, Meshaal called the massacre an “ingenious moment” and refused to acknowledge any harm inflicted upon Israeli civilians.
- On October 24 at the UN Security Council, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen confirmed that “Qatar…could influence and enable the immediate and unconditional release of all hostages held by the terrorists.”
- On October 26, Haniyeh pronounced – likely from Qatar – that “the occupier [Israel] will not be able to recover, because of the strategic blow and resounding defeat [i.e. slaughter of defenseless children] it suffered.”
CEP called on Qatar to arrest Hamas leadership in 2017. Instead, it has financed the terrorist organization since at least 2018 to the tune of $360 to $480 million annually.
CEP has already demanded that Qatar and the Al Thani Royal Family detain Haniyeh and other Doha-based Hamas leadership, calling for a global freeze of Qatar’s assets until and unless Doha complies. CEP has also called for a boycott of Qatari hotels worldwide and a freeze on Qatar’s considerable holdings in the United Kingdom. Qatar has no excuse for its lack of compliance.
No responsible or ethical franchise could allow even partial ownership by an entity that provides safe haven for the perpetrators of one of the most heinous and violent acts of savagery in living memory.
To read CEP’s October 20 letter to NBA Commissioner Silver, click here.
To read The Times’ report on CEP’s call to boycott Qatar’s London hotels, click here.
To read The Wall Street Journal’s report on UANI and CEP’s previous call to action, please click here.
To read The Telegraph’s report citing CEP’s Chief Executive Officer Mark Wallace’s call for a Qatari asset freeze until it surrenders Hamas leadership to the U.S. and/or Israel, please click here.
To read CEP’s report, Qatar: Extremism and Terrorism, please click here.