Huckabee Accuses Qatar, Russia and China of Fueling Anti-Israel Sentiment in the U.S.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee told Doha News today (Wednesday) that Qatar, Russia and China have carried out influence operations against Israel in the United States.

According to Huckabee, the three countries have run and funded extensive influence campaigns within the U.S. aimed at damaging Israel’s standing and turning American public opinion against it. He said that "this propaganda is one of the central challenges Israel faces on the international stage, and it operates through two main channels: Qatari funding in academia, through the flow of billions of dollars to campuses and universities in the U.S., via Qatari-funded Middle East studies programs and with the assistance of the Muslim Brotherhood movement, to shape anti-Israel attitudes among young Americans."

The U.S. ambassador to Israel added that "there are social-media campaigns by Russia and China: Huckabee noted that Russia and China operate propaganda machines on social media. The goal of these efforts is to divide American society, weaken the alliance between the countries, and turn the United States against Israel."

Qatar’s embassy in the United States rejected Huckabee’s accusations, calling them "inaccurate." According to Qatar’s claim, most of the academic funding in question is intended for the operation of branches of American universities physically located in Qatar, rather than for influencing students within the United States.