Trump scolds Israeli PM Netanyahu over Qatar strikes

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.

READ ALSO:

• World leaders, envoys condemn Israel’s attacks on Qatar
• Haaland scores five as Norway put 11 past Moldova
• NERDC releases approved subject list for revised school curriculum

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.

 

AFP