This commentary first appeared in the Jüdische Allgemeine.

Last weekend, Robert Habeck traveled to Qatar. Against the backdrop of Russia's war of aggression against Ukraine and the associated pressing need to become independent of energy supplies from Russia, the German Minister of Economic Affairs negotiated with the Gulf state about alternative natural gas supplies.

In this context, in a statement on Twitter, former Foreign Minister and Vice Chancellor Sigmar Gabriel claimed that the Gulf state is a reliable partner of the West, does not threaten anyone and does not finance terrorist organizations. A statement that has little to do with reality.

For years, Qatar has contributed directly to terror and destabilization in the Middle East region by supporting Islamist terrorist organizations such as Hamas, the Taliban and the Al-Nusra Front, and by serving as a safe haven for senior figures in various terrorist organizations. With more than 1.5 billion euros, the Gulf state is one of Hamas' largest donors - and also provides significant funding for terror against Israel.

The disastrous human rights situation in the country is evident not least in the discrimination and oppression of women and LGBTQIA+ or in the cruel working conditions for migrant workers, who are virtually without rights there. Human rights organizations estimate that more than 15,000 people have died in recent years due to the disastrous working conditions.

Although there are currently few other options to meet Germany's energy needs in an effort to gain independence from Putin's regime, this must not lead us to close our eyes to the reality in Qatar. And it must be clear that the desired independence from Russia must not lead to immediate dependence on another dictatorship. A dictatorship that promotes terror, tramples on human rights and poses a real threat to the security of the Jewish state.

The author is Assistant Director, Policy at American Jewish Committee Berlin.