Israeli attack on Doha ‘state terrorism,’ assault on principle of mediation: Qatari premier

ISTANBUL

Qatar’s Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani on Sunday condemned Israel’s airstrike on Doha as an act of “state terrorism” and a flagrant violation of his country’s sovereignty.

Speaking at a preparatory meeting ahead of Monday’s emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha, Sheikh Mohammed said the strike was a “reckless and treacherous act” carried out while Qatar was hosting sensitive negotiations on Gaza.

He stressed that the attack targeted not just a location, but “the very principle of mediation,” and reflected the failure of the international community to hold Israel accountable.

“What emboldens Israel to continue these practices is the international community’s inability to restrain it,” he said, warning that the assault would only derail the negotiation process.

The Qatari premier urged the world not to remain silent in the face of “barbaric aggression” and called for an end to double standards in dealing with Israel. He underlined that peace and security in the region will not be possible without Palestinians securing their legitimate rights.

He reaffirmed that Israel’s actions will not deter Qatar from pursuing mediation efforts with Egypt and the US, and welcomed the recent UN Security Council consensus condemning Israel and supporting Doha.

Separately, the Qatari premier met with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on the sidelines of the preparatory meeting.

Qatar will take “all necessary measures to protect its security and preserve its sovereignty,” he said during the meeting, as cited by a Foreign Ministry statement.

The ministry said the two officials discussed bilateral relations, regional developments, and “the treacherous Israeli attack that targeted Doha.”

Araghchi reiterated Iran’s solidarity with Qatar and its “strong condemnation of the Israeli attack,” the statement said.

The Israeli attack, he said, was a “flagrant violation of all international laws and norms and a serious threat to the security of Qatar and the region.”

Arab and Islamic foreign ministers began a closed-door meeting in Doha on Sunday to prepare for the emergency summit, which will bring together heads of state on Monday. The gathering is also expected to discuss the long-proposed activation of a joint Arab military force, an initiative first advanced by Egypt nearly a decade ago.

The meeting comes after Tuesday’s Israeli airstrike on a residential compound in Doha that killed five Hamas leaders as they were discussing a US proposal to end the war in Gaza, where nearly 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.