By Elchanan Poupko
Qatar Foundation International, a subsidiary of the Qatar Foundation and the Qatari government, is investing $61,036 into a New Haven public schools program. The initiative will teach Arabic language and host Arabic cultural events within the New Haven public school system.
The Qatar Foundation has launched similar programs across the United States, with many viewing them as part of a soft influence campaign that often leaves parents uninformed about the content being taught—sometimes unaware of the program’s existence altogether.
Qatar has frequently been criticized for its tolerance of, and even support for, groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood, Hamas, and other terrorist organizations.
In the summer of 2024, the Institute for the Study of Global Antisemitism and Policy (ISGAP) released a report revealing that Yale University failed to disclose a $15,925,711 donation from Qatar. That donation coincided with Yale’s decision to shut down the Yale Initiative for the Interdisciplinary Study of Antisemitism (YIISA), citing that the center had “failed to meet academic expectations.”
When asked by Wingate News whether it was appropriate for foreign governments to sponsor educational content in public schools—or why Arabic is being taught despite Pashto being the most commonly spoken second language among New Haven students, many of whom are Afghan refugees—Connecticut Attorney General William Tong’s office responded: “We do not see any basis for a state investigation into this matter. Your questions may be better directed to New Haven.” Mayor Justin Elicker and Senator Chris Murphy have not responded to the inquiry yet.
