Netanyahu dials Qatar PM from White House to apologise over Doha strike

Guwahati: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu dialled Qatar PM Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani from the White House to apologise for the Israeli strikes on Doha on September 11, targeting the Hamas leadership.

Netanyahu made the call after he met US President Donald Trump on Monday, according to Reuters.

The apology was for attack on Qatar, which targeted senior Hamas leaders present in Doha for peace talks. Israel’s actions drew widespread criticism from several countries and even Trump himself.

A delegation from Qatar, which has played a key role in previous indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas, was expected at the White House on Monday for discussions about Gaza, a US official told Reuters.

Israel attacked airstrikes on September 11 on Qatar to target the political leadership of Hamas, who had gathered in Doha to discuss a peace proposal by Trump himself.

The attack sparked alarm as Qatar is an ally of the United States and houses the biggest US military base in the Middle East, raising doubts on Trump’s credibility.

The US disapproved over the attack.

US officials told WSJ that Trump held a heated call with Netanyahu, where he expressed frustration at the US not being alerted about the attack and said the decision to attack Qatar “wasn’t wise".

However, Axios reported that Netanyahu spoke to Trump before the attack, which means the US was aware of the airstrikes. The White House claimed it was notified only after missiles were in the air, giving Trump no opportunity to oppose the strike.

Despite global outrage, Netanyahu attacked Qatar on several occasions, accusing Doha of sheltering terrorists and even hinting at more attacks. However, Donald Trump and top US officials met with the Qatari Prime Minister, where the president praised the Gulf emirate as a “great ally" and pledged that Israel won’t attack on its soil again.