Leading Arab intellectual Azmi Bishara has paid tribute to Qatar's late Emir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani , describing him as a visionary Arab leader whose legacy transformed Qatar and left a lasting impact on the region.
Speaking in an interview with The New Arab 's affiliate, Al Araby TV, on Sunday, Bishara described Sheikh Hamad as a "distinguished Arab figure and a historic leader", saying he owed him a debt of gratitude dating back to before he was forced to leave his homeland of Palestine.
Bishara said that when he was forced into exile, few Arab leaders were willing to receive him, but Sheikh Hamad "opened his arms completely", welcoming him to Doha and giving him the freedom to pursue cultural and media work. Bishara said the late emir believed that independent intellectual and media institutions ultimately benefited the state, even if they sometimes came at a political cost.
He praised Sheikh Hamad's rare commitment to allowing media and cultural institutions to operate independently, arguing that this had strengthened Qatar's regional influence through "soft power". Bishara said a few Arab leaders of that era shared the same confidence in the value of institutional independence.
Reflecting on Qatar's economic transformation, Bishara credited Sheikh Hamad with taking calculated risks by investing heavily in natural gas before it was widely regarded as a strategic resource. He also highlighted investments in Education City, describing them as long-term bets on the country's future that helped reshape Qatar's global standing.
Bishara characterised Sheikh Hamad as an "Arab nationalist" who remained deeply committed to the Palestinian cause. He said the former emir had initially supported the peace process but later took a firm stand in support of Gaza during Israel's 2008-09 war on the enclave, recalling his efforts to convene an Arab summit despite boycotts by several states.
"He stood with the oppressed," Bishara said, describing the Gaza summit as one of the defining moments of Sheikh Hamad's leadership.
The Arab Center for Research and Policy Studies director also praised Sheikh Hamad's independent foreign policy, saying he consistently rejected external dictates and maintained Qatar's sovereignty despite the country's complex geopolitical position.
He pointed to Qatar's long-standing position that the Middle East should be free of nuclear weapons, including Israel as well as Iran, as an example of Sheikh Hamad's approach to regional diplomacy and peaceful conflict resolution.
Bishara also highlighted Sheikh Hamad's visits to Gaza and southern Lebanon as symbolic demonstrations of solidarity, saying they reflected his enduring commitment to Arab causes and his willingness to take political risks.
Concluding the interview, Bishara said Sheikh Hamad had introduced a new model of leadership in the Arab world by voluntarily handing over power after achieving the goals he had set for Qatar, adding that his vision, courage and belief in independent decision-making had shaped the country's modern trajectory.