Now it is Qatar’s turn: Netanyahu becomes a global threat

Palestine, including Gaza and the West Bank, Yemen, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, and now Qatar, a distant corner of the Middle East, are all feeling the repercussions of Israel’s strikes. These attacks pay no heed to borders, international law, or established political norms. For the Jewish state, no limits remain. In fact, yesterday’s strikes targeted a country barely visible on the world map, and one that remains geographically small, yet no force has dared, or been able, to hold it accountable. Behind this state, human values, political balance, and international law are being eroded across the Middle East. Netanyahu’s Israel has now become a literal ’’cancer’’ not only for the region but for the world. The regime in Israel gives the impression of being untreatable.

Qatar, which has played a clear leading role in negotiations between Hamas and Tel Aviv and has actively pursued peace, has itself been hit. How else can one assess the state that struck a nation working for diplomacy? There is no stronger evidence or signal than this that it is time to halt, or at least restrain, Netanyahu’s regime. The current Israeli leadership has now become a real threat to the world. Until recently, Israel’s aggression targeted only neighboring countries. Yet this summer, it carried out operations in Iran, nearly 2,500 km away, and on September 9, it conducted acts of violence in Qatar, almost 2,000 km from its borders. Israel openly claimed responsibility, leaving no doubt about its actions. Normally, when a terrorist attack occurs in a distant peaceful country, a period of time passes before any organization claims responsibility. But here, the approach is direct and transparent. In the future, groups such as Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and others could exploit this behavior. Netanyahu’s regime is acting with deliberate intent.

Strike on Doha: A blow not to Hamas, but to peace

On September 9, around 15:00 local time in Qatar, Israel carried out strikes on Doha. The targets reportedly included locations where members of Hamas’ political bureau live and where the group had held meetings. Whether this was an airstrike or an on-the-ground act of sabotage remains unclear. Video footage shows only explosions. While some sources describe it as a missile attack, social media images do not clearly show rockets coming from the air. Regardless, the operation is clearly an act of aggression and a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty. The strikes occurred in the West Bay area, home to numerous foreign embassies, schools, supermarkets, and residential buildings. Many foreigners live in this district alongside Qatari citizens. The scale of the explosions and the resulting black smoke reveal the destructive impact of Israel’s operation.

Interestingly, the primary targets of the strike on Doha were senior Hamas leaders, particularly those participating in negotiations aimed at halting hostilities in Gaza. About an hour after the attack, Israel confirmed that it had targeted Doha. Reports indicate that the operation was carried out through cooperation between the Israeli military and its intelligence services. This marks Israel’s first attack on Qatar, but the worrying aspect is that it is unlikely to be the last. The country sits beneath a regime with a two-year history of genocide, which has killed 65,000 people in Gaza. Even more striking is that Israel had previously visited Qatar multiple times with official delegations.

Remarkably, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) and Israel’s General Security Service, Shabak, arrogantly confirmed that Hamas leaders were the target. According to their joint statement, the strike employed ’’high-precision munitions’’ and ’’additional intelligence data,’’ which they claimed minimized harm to civilians. However, this statement does not assert that Qatari citizens were spared entirely, only that civilian harm was reduced. This approach constitutes a blatant violation of sovereignty and a disregard for the security of another state.

It is also noteworthy how Qatar itself responded to this incident. Majid al-Ansari, an official spokesperson for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stated on his social media page that the Israeli military was responsible for the attack on members of Hamas’ political bureau in Doha. He condemned Israel’s ”cowardly” strikes on residential buildings, including locations where several Hamas political bureau members reside. Al-Ansari added that a high-level investigation is underway and that additional details will be released as soon as they become available.

Meanwhile, the situation in Doha is reportedly stable. The Qatari Ministry of Interior confirmed that the area remains secure. The ministry also noted that special teams are working on the ground and urged everyone to rely on official sources for information. Qatar Airways confirmed that the incident has not affected the company’s flight schedule.

US betrays Qatar?

On September 9, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu posted on social media confirming that Israel carried out the attack.

”Israel initiated and executed this operation and assumes full responsibility,” the statement read.

Netanyahu, together with Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant, issued a joint statement justifying the strike. They noted that the attack on Doha was in response to the killing of six Israelis the previous day in East Jerusalem. Even Yair Lapid, Netanyahu’s fiercest political rival and a prominent critic of the government over the Gaza massacres, publicly endorsed the strike on Doha. This reaction is understandable, as whether Hamas opposes Israel’s government or the current administration itself, it remains an enemy to all Jewish political circles alike.

Another crucial aspect of the attack on Doha is the question of potential U.S. involvement—or at least prior knowledge. Netanyahu stated that the strike was carried out solely by Israel, without anyone else’s intervention. The United Kingdom, which possesses one of the world’s most powerful intelligence services, also claimed it had no prior knowledge of the operation. However, it is difficult to believe that the United States was completely unaware of Israel’s plan, especially given that the strike targeted Qatar, one of its closest allies in the region. White House Press Secretary Caroline Lewitt stated that President Donald Trump, upon learning about Israel’s attack on Doha, instructed his special envoy, Steve Witkoff, to immediately inform Qatar. Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs spokesperson Majid al-Ansari, however, dismissed claims that Doha had prior warning, calling them false. According to him, the U.S. official only called after explosions had already occurred in the area.

In her statement, Caroline Lewitt emphasized that Qatar is a close U.S. ally and expressed President Trump’s regret over the “tragic event” in Doha. She added, however, that after speaking with Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump noted the strike could also present a “possible opportunity for peace.” The U.S. President reportedly assured Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani that such an incident would ”not be repeated on their soil.”

”Unilateral strikes against Qatar do not serve the interests of Israel or the United States. Qatar is a sovereign nation and a close U.S. ally, diligently working as a mediator for peace and courageously providing assistance. However, eliminating Hamas, which has ‘profited’ from the suffering of Gaza’s population, remains a legitimate objective,” Lewitt stated.

However, regardless of statements from the White House, the situation remains questionable. The West Bay area targeted by Israel is located only about 40 km from Al-Udeid, the largest U.S. military base in Qatar and the region. Considering the intelligence cited by Israel, these doubts are well-founded. Qatar may have been betrayed. Despite being one of the United States’ closest partners in the Middle East, there is no certainty that the U.S. would not have allowed this area to be sacrificed for Israel’s interests.

Another noteworthy point is that in mid-May of this year, President Trump visited the Middle East, securing nearly $3 trillion in investment commitments from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, and Qatar. Qatar’s share of these investments amounted to approximately $1.2 trillion. If Doha had already begun channeling investments to the U.S., then simply put, a portion of this money was effectively “spent” to face Israeli strikes. It is no secret that Israel occupies a unique place in the U.S. budget, receiving several billion dollars in annual aid. The high-precision weapons used in the strike on Doha, funded in part by U.S. resources, are therefore not entirely foreign to Qatar.

Who died?

Following the explosions in Doha, initial reports from Al Arabiya claimed that Khaled Mashal, head of Hamas’ political bureau, and the group’s Gaza sector leader, Khalil al-Hayya, had been killed in the Israeli strike. However, Hamas official Suhail al-Hindi later provided a different account in an interview with Al Jazeera. Al-Hindi stated that Israel targeted Hamas leaders who were in Doha to discuss a ceasefire proposal put forward by the United States. Senior leaders, including Khalil al-Hayya and Khaled Mashal, were present during the meeting, but neither was among the casualties. According to Hamas, six people were killed in the strike, including Khalil al-Hayya’s son, Humam, and one of his chief aides. Qatar confirmed that at least one of its own security personnel was also killed alongside Hamas members. The Qatari Ministry of Interior reported that other members of its security forces were injured in the attack.

Uzbekistan condemns Israeli strikes on Doha

Following Israel’s unexpected strike on Doha, several countries around the world condemned the Jewish state. Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs denounced Israel’s brutal aggression against its brotherly ally Qatar and affirmed full solidarity with the country.

Turkey’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlighted that the attack demonstrates Israel’s lack of interest in any agreement to halt the war against Gaza.

The United Arab Emirates’ Foreign Minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also expressed solidarity with Qatar, describing Israel’s strike as an act of ”cowardice.”

United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres characterized Israel’s attack as a “blatant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.

French President Emmanuel Macron voiced support for Qatar, stressing that Israel’s strike is ”unacceptable under any circumstances.”

Additionally, Egypt, Kuwait, Jordan, Iraq, Syria, the Maldives, Lebanon, Morocco, Algeria, and the Gulf Cooperation Council also condemned Israel’s attack on Doha.

Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan joined the list of condemners. The Kazakh President, Kassym-Jomart Tokayev, echoed Macron, stating that such actions are unacceptable regardless of their motives. Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned Israel’s strikes on residential areas in Doha, describing them as a violation of Qatar’s sovereignty, territorial integrity, and security.