ISTANBUL 

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani on Tuesday accused Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of seeking to turn the Arab region into “an Israeli sphere of influence.”

“The Israeli prime minister (Benjamin Netanyahu) dreams of turning the Arab region into an Israeli sphere of influence,” Tamim said at the 80th United Nations General Assembly in New York.

Calling Israel a “rogue state,” the emir warned that international failure to confront its actions amounted to “allowing the law of the jungle to prevail.”

He stressed that peace in the Middle East will only be achieved through international recognition of Palestinian statehood, praising recent recognitions and urging more nations to follow suit.  

Support for Syria

On Syria, Tamim said the country was entering “a new phase,” pledging Qatar’s support and rejecting Israeli efforts to partition its territory.

He added that his country has engaged in “difficult mediation” to stop the Israeli war in Gaza and secure humanitarian access but faced “a disinformation campaign” against its role.

Israel's airstrikes in Doha earlier this month undermined efforts to free its hostages from Gaza, he said.

“That will not deter our continued efforts,” he said.

The Israeli army has killed more than 65,300 Palestinians, most of them women and children, in Gaza since October 2023. The relentless bombardment has rendered the enclave uninhabitable and led to starvation and the spread of diseases.