MUST-READS

• Qatar Is Betting Big on LNG and Says Other Nations Should, Too

  Qatar is betting that demand for liquefied natural gas will continue to grow over the next few decades as it embarks on a new multibillion-dollar project to expand exports. “We need more gas for the world, and we need more players,” Energy Minister Saad Al-Kaabi said in an interview Sunday. The Middle Eastern nation — already one of the world’s largest exporters of LNG — plans to add 16 million tons of annual production capacity. That’s in addition to its previously-announced expansion of 49 million tons per year.

• U.S. struggles to contain Gaza conflict, as Qatar PM sees progress in hostage release talks

  “I think it’s very important to note that this is an incredibly volatile time in the Middle East,” Blinken said at a press event with visiting NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg this afternoon. “I would argue that we have not seen a situation as dangerous as the one we’re facing now across the region since at least 1973, and arguably even before that.” “We’ve made very, very clear from day one that we’re going to defend our people,” Blinken said. “We’re going to defend our personnel.”

• Qatar’s Prime Minister Says Progress Made on Hostage-Release Deal

  “We are in a much better place than where we were a few weeks ago,” said Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani, during a public forum in Washington. Still, gaps remain wide over key issues, including international guarantees, that during the pause in fighting a comprehensive agreement would be reached that would lead to a permanent end to the war, according to officials familiar with the talks between the leaders. While the talks were positive, a deal isn’t imminent, they said.

• Qatar, a key mediator in sensitive Israel-Hamas talks, lashes out at Netanyahu over critical remarks

  Qatar said it was appalled Wednesday by leaked remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in which he criticized the country’s mediation efforts with Hamas, complicating already arduous negotiations meant to halt the hostilities in exchange for a hostage release. In a meeting with families of hostages held by Hamas, Netanyahu said Qatar’s role in the mediation was “problematic.” Qatar, a key mediator that also has deep ties to the militant group and hosts some of its exiled leaders, said Netanyahu’s remarks were “irresponsible and destructive.”

• Qatari finance minister says Gaza war to slow Middle East economies
  The war in Gaza will hit economies across the Middle East if it is not resolved and the conflict urgently needs a non-military solution, Qatar's finance minister told Reuters.
  Qatar, whose mediators are involved in talks on the release of Israeli hostages by Hamas, has also helped mediate in several regional conflicts including in Afghanistan.
  "The solution is really to look for a permanent solution for the main issue in the Middle East which is the Palestinian problem ... This cannot be fixed by military actions," Qatar's Finance Minister Ali Al Kuwari said in Davos.

• Israel Isn’t Buying Saudi, UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Jordan’s Postwar Gaza Plan

  Five Arab nations are quietly touting a settlement for postwar Gaza for which they’ve secured the backing of the US. The problem is that the Israelis on whom the agreement depends aren’t buying it. That means the proposal, which its authors are calling the most plausible solution for long-term security in the region, is out of reach for now. Two of the many officials who spoke with Bloomberg are privately asserting that progress toward it won’t be possible so long as Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s right-wing coalition stays in power.

• Saudi Arabia claim another epic win in Qatar — this time even crazier than their upset over Argentina

  Over a year after their stunning upset of Argentina at the 2022 FIFA World Cup, Saudi Arabia have returned to Qatar and pulled off another stunning come-from-behind 2-1 win in a tournament opener at the AFC Asian Cup. Only this time it was an even crazier result, if that was even possible.

• Secretary Blinken’s Travel to Türkiye, Greece, Jordan, Qatar, U.A.E., Saudi Arabia, Israel, the West Bank, and Egypt

  Throughout his trip, the Secretary will underscore the importance of protecting civilian lives in Israel and the West Bank and Gaza; securing the release of all remaining hostages; our shared commitment to facilitating the increased, sustained delivery of life-saving humanitarian assistance to civilians in Gaza and the resumption of essential services; and ensuring that Palestinians are not forcibly displaced from Gaza.

• US reaches deal to extend military presence at Qatar base – source

  The United States has reached a deal to extend its military presence at a base in Qatar for another 10 years, a source familiar with the matter told Reuters on Tuesday.

  The base in question is the Al Udeid Air Base, which is located in the desert southwest of Doha and hosts the largest U.S. military facility in the Middle East, the source said, asking to not be identified.

  The development was reported first by CNN. The U.S. Department of Defense did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Tuesday.

• New hotels in Saudi Arabia and Qatar named among most luxurious in the world

  Hotels from Bulgari, Chopard, Six Senses and Peninsula are among the 15 best new luxury hotels, according to Luxury Travel Intelligence, with Bulgari Rome taking top honours. The online resource for the world's wealthiest travellers has revealed its list of best global arrivals, including the recently opened Six Senses Southern Dunes, The Red Sea and Four Seasons The Pearl, Qatar. The Red Sea resort, which came in 12th place, was the first hotel to open in Saudi Arabia's Red Sea development this November. It pays homage to Nabataean architectural heritage and its desert surroundings, featuring 36 guest rooms and suites, plus 40 pool villas set amid the dunes.

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