Qatar warns against Netanyahu’s plan to violate its sovereignty again
Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs strongly condemned on Wednesday evening what it described as the “reckless” statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, which included “explicit threats of future violations of state sovereignty,” while denouncing his remarks on Doha’s hosting of a Hamas political office.
In an official statement, the ministry declared that Qatar “will work with its partners to ensure that the Israeli Prime Minister is held accountable and that his reckless and irresponsible practices are brought to an end.” This came in response to Netanyahu’s speech, in which he threatened Qatar and other countries hosting Hamas leaders, demanding they either expel them or hand them over, warning that otherwise Israel “would act itself.”
Qatar stressed that the hosting of the Hamas office had been carried out strictly within the framework of mediation efforts requested by both the United States and Israel. The ministry added that Netanyahu “is fully aware that this office played a crucial role in securing many prisoner exchanges and ceasefire arrangements, praised internationally for alleviating the suffering of Palestinian civilians and Israeli captives.”
It further emphasized that the negotiations were held in an official and transparent manner, with the participation of American and Israeli delegations. Netanyahu’s claims that Doha secretly sheltered the Hamas office were described as a “desperate attempt to justify a crime condemned worldwide.”
The Qatari Foreign Ministry also rejected Netanyahu’s comparison between hosting Hamas in Doha and the U.S. pursuit of al-Qaeda after the September 11 attacks. According to the statement, this was a “false and misleading analogy,” noting that Hamas had engaged in internationally recognized mediation talks involving U.S. participation, something that never applied to al-Qaeda.
Meanwhile, Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, warned that Israel’s attempt to assassinate Hamas leaders in Doha could have serious repercussions on the hostage issue in Gaza. In an interview with CNN, he said: “I believe what Netanyahu did yesterday destroyed any hope for those hostages,” adding that he had met that same morning with a hostage family who said they had no hope other than Qatari mediation.
The ministry further underlined that Netanyahu’s rhetoric reflected an internal political strategy, relying on extremist language aimed at rallying electoral support, while seeking to divert attention from his legal troubles and growing isolation on the international stage.
Qatar reaffirmed that, despite Netanyahu’s attempts to undermine its credibility, Doha “remains committed to playing its role as a trusted and impartial international partner in strengthening security and stability in the region and the world.” It added that it “will take all necessary measures to defend its sovereignty and territory” and “work with its allies to ensure accountability and to stop Netanyahu’s reckless practices.”
Finally, the ministry reiterated Qatar’s unwavering commitment to international law and the UN Charter, calling on the international community to “reject Netanyahu’s inflammatory and Islamophobic rhetoric and put an end to political manipulation that undermines mediation efforts and delays peace.”
On Tuesday, the Israeli army confirmed it had carried out an airstrike in Doha targeting Hamas leadership, without disclosing the outcome. Qatar denounced the strike as an “act of aggression” that killed a member of its internal security forces. Hamas meanwhile announced that its chief negotiator in Gaza, Khalil al-Hayya, had survived the assassination attempt, but his chief of staff Jihad Labad, his son Hammam al-Hayya, and three aides were killed.
