US President Donald Trump has called Qatar a “great ally of the United States” while warning Israel to be “very careful” in handling its relations with Doha, following Israeli strikes on Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital last week.
Speaking to reporters at Morristown Airport in New Jersey, Trump stressed that while Israel had to “do something about Hamas,” it must not jeopardize ties with Qatar.
“My message is that they have to be very, very careful. They have to do something about Hamas, but Qatar has been a great ally to the United States,” Trump said.
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He described Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, as a “wonderful person” and confirmed that he hosted Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani for dinner in New York just days after the strike.
Qatar urges global accountability
Qatar’s Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani condemned the attack, calling it a “blatant violation of sovereignty and international law.”
“The time has come for the international community to stop using double standards and to punish Israel for all the crimes it has committed,” he said at a preparatory meeting ahead of an emergency Arab-Islamic summit. He warned that efforts to displace Palestinians through “a war of extermination” would fail.
Regional outrage grows
The September 9 strikes on Doha targeted the residences of Hamas officials, killing several people — including civilians — and injuring others. The attacks have triggered widespread condemnation across the Arab and Islamic world.
Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan led Riyadh’s delegation to the Doha summit, with the Kingdom denouncing the assault as an “aggressive act” and reaffirming solidarity with Qatar.
Arab-Islamic summit response
The joint Arab-Islamic summit, hosted under Qatar’s leadership, is expected to finalize a draft statement addressing Israel’s actions. Foreign ministers from Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) states are in attendance, signaling a united front against the strike.
Netanyahu invokes 9/11 to defend action
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu defended the strike in Doha by drawing parallels to America’s response to the September 11 attacks.
“What did America do in the wake of September 11th? It promised to hunt down the terrorists who committed this heinous crime, wherever they may be,” Netanyahu said in a video message. He argued that governments must not provide safe havens for militants, framing Israel’s actions as consistent with international counterterrorism principles.
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