Jerusalem, 13 September (H.S.):
In a rare break from precedent, the United States joined all other members of the UN Security Council in condemning Israeli airstrikes on a residential compound in Doha, Qatar, which killed several Hamas operatives and a Qatari security officer. The joint statement, drafted by the UK and France, urged de-escalation and expressed solidarity with Qatar, though it stopped short of explicitly naming Israel as the aggressor.
The development is significant, as Washington has long blocked UN actions critical of Israel. US backing of the resolution follows criticism from President Donald Trump, who said the strike does not advance Israel or America’s goals, while still reiterating that defeating Hamas remains a worthy objective.
Qatar Voices Anger at UN Meeting
The emergency Security Council session was requested by Qatar, Algeria, Pakistan, and Somalia. Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani travelled to New York to personally address the chamber, accusing Israel of being led by blusterous extremists and declaring the incident a test for the international community.
Qatar, a long-time mediator in indirect talks between Hamas and Israel, hosts Hamas’ political leadership and a major US air base. Its leadership warned that the attack jeopardizes its ability to maintain diplomatic engagement.
Global Reactions and Regional Fallout
Pakistan’s ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad charged Israel with attempting to “blow up every possibility of peace,” while Algeria’s envoy Amar Bendjama criticized the Council’s “constraint” in failing to clearly identify Israel as the aggressor.
Israel’s representative, Danny Danon, defended the strike, asserting it sent a clear message that “there is no sanctuary for terrorists, not in Gaza, not in Tehran, not in Doha.”
The attack has strained ties between Israel and Gulf countries. The UAE summoned Israel’s deputy ambassador, calling both the strike and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s subsequent remarks “hostile and unacceptable.”
The airstrike shocked many in the region who assumed Qatar’s close relationship with Washington offered a degree of protection. The development also comes months after Trump celebrated a “historic” $1.2 trillion US-Qatar economic deal and shortly after Doha gifted him a $400 million aircraft to serve as the new Air Force One.
Hamas confirmed that its negotiating team narrowly survived the targeted strike, though five members, including the son of top negotiator Khalil al-Hayya, were killed.
With Washington aligning itself with the wider Security Council in this condemnation, the strike on Doha marks a turning point in Israel’s regional diplomacy—threatening to upend the fragile balance shaped by the Abraham Accords and Qatar’s mediation role in the ongoing Gaza war.
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Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
