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.





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CEP CALLS ON THE NBA TO REJECT QATAR’S BID FOR A STAKE IN THE WASHINGTON
WIZARDS FRANCHISE


(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 20letter
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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
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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
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utterly complicit in the harboring of Hamas leadership and the promotion of
their activities:



Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh
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celebrated
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the October 7 massacre from his office in Doha.



Former Hamas leader and Haniyeh’s predecessor, Khaled Meshaal
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the attacks from Qatar, where he lives in luxury and is still anactive member
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of the terrorist organization.

* Mere hours after the slaughter on October 7, Qatar’s foreign ministry
claimed
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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 11, Haniyeh called for supporters around the world to join Hamas
in its barbaric The Qatari government provided the platform for thevideo
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address
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, which was aired on the Qatari-owned and controlled network, Al Jazeera.


* On October 12, Meshaal also used his platform in Qatar to echo
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Haniyeh’s address, calling for an October 13 “Day of Rage.”


* On October 14, Iran’s foreign minister met
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with Haniyeh in Qatar and congratulated him on his successful execution of
thousands of innocent


* Qatar hosted this meeting on the same day that it blatantly lied
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to reporters about Haniyeh’s presence in the country.


* On October 16, the Qatari Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs
refused <[link removed]> to close Hamas’ political
office or detain any senior Hamas figures.


* On October 19 while in Qatar, Meshaal called the massacre an “ingenious
moment” andrefused <[link removed]> to
acknowledge any harm inflicted upon Israeli civilians.


* On October 24 at the UN Security Council, Israeli Foreign Minister Eli Cohen
confirmed
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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 <[link removed]> 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
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that Qatar and the Al Thani Royal Family detain Haniyeh and other Doha-based
Hamas leadership,calling
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for a global freeze of Qatar’s assets until and unless Doha complies. CEP has
alsocalled
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for a boycott of Qatari hotels worldwide and afreeze
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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
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.



To read The Times’ report on CEP’s call to boycott Qatar’s London hotels, click
here
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.



To read The Wall Street Journal’s report on UANI and CEP’s previous call to
action, please clickhere
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.



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 clickhere
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.



To read CEP’s report, Qatar: Extremism and Terrorism, please click here
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.



To read CEP’s HARBORS Campaign Report on Qatar, please click here
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.



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