US President Donald Trump gave Benjamin Netanyahu a rare slap on the wrist Tuesday over Israel’s strikes against Hamas in Qatar, as he insisted he played no role in the attack by one close US ally against another.
Trump said he was not notified in advance of the Israeli attack on the Gulf state, a crucial broker in the negotiations between Israel and Hamas on ending the Gaza war and securing the release of hostages held by Palestinian militants.
“I’m not thrilled about the whole situation,” Trump told reporters during a rare outing to a Washington restaurant. “We want the hostages back, but we are not thrilled about the way that went down today.”
The Israeli attack on Doha could hardly be more sensitive as Qatar, in addition to its role in the Gaza negotiations, is home to a huge US airbase and hosted Trump during a Middle East swing this year.
The fossil fuel-rich emirate also recently gave the United States a luxury Boeing 747-8 jet for Trump to use as his presidential plane, a move that sparked major ethical questions.
“This was a decision made by Prime Minister Netanyahu, it was not a decision made by me,” Trump said in a post on social media.
“I view Qatar as a strong Ally and friend of the U.S., and feel very badly about the location of the attack,” he said — although adding that eliminating Hamas was still a “worthy goal.”
In a statement that largely echoed one issued earlier by White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt, Trump focused on the possible damage to his efforts to end the war in Gaza.
“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Trump said.
– ‘Too late’ –
The US president was at pains to point out that Washington was caught unawares by the Israeli attack.
He said the White House was “notified by the United States Military that Israel was attacking Hamas which, very unfortunately, was located in a section of Doha.”
“I immediately directed Special Envoy Steve Witkoff to inform the Qataris of the impending attack, which he did, however, unfortunately, too late to stop the attack.”
Trump said he had spoken to Netanyahu in the aftermath, and tried to put a positive gloss on the affair.
“The Prime Minister told me that he wants to make Peace. I believe this unfortunate incident could serve as an opportunity for PEACE,” he said.
Leavitt told reporters earlier that Trump had given Netanyahu a “very clear” message about his “concerns.”
Trump’s rebuke of Netanyahu was uncommon, as the US president has given the Israeli leader almost unstinting backing since returning to the Oval Office in January.
Israel’s ambassador to Washington Yechiel Leiter said in a Fox News interview Tuesday that the United States and Israel were “united in the effort of eliminating Hamas as being a threat to peace in the Middle East.”
“We have acted together in the past, we’ll act together in the future,” Leiter added.
As Qatar complained about the attack, Trump said he had now directed US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to finalize a defense cooperation agreement with Doha.
Trump added that he had assured Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in a phone call that “such a thing will not happen again on their soil.”
Doha had earlier insisted it had no warning of the attack.
“The call received from an American official came as explosions sounded from the Israeli attack in Doha,” Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari said on social media.
Qatar has once again found itself caught in the crossfire of the turmoil in the Middle East. Iran fired missiles at the US Al Udeid airbase in June in retaliation for US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites.
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© Agence France-Presse
