Israeli PM Netanyahu apologises to Qatar over Doha attack

Netanyahu besides apologises for violating Qatari sovereignty and affirms Israel volition not behaviour specified an onslaught again.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has apologised to Qatar for the sidesplitting of a Qatari national during an unprecedented Israeli onslaught connected Hamas leaders successful Doha this month, which drew planetary condemnation.

Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received the apology connected Monday successful a associated telephone from United States President Donald Trump and Netanyahu during their gathering astatine the White House.

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“As a archetypal step, Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed his heavy regret that Israel’s rocket onslaught against Hamas targets successful Qatar unintentionally killed a Qatari serviceman,” a White House connection said.

“He further expressed regret that, successful targeting Hamas enactment during hostage negotiations, Israel violated Qatari sovereignty and affirmed that Israel volition not behaviour specified an onslaught again successful the future.”

At slightest 5 lower-ranking Hamas members and a Qatari information authoritative were killed successful the September 9 attack, which targeted elder Hamas leaders progressive successful negotiating a US-backed ceasefire. Hamas’s apical leaders survived the assassination attempt.

Apology a ‘significant’ step

It was the archetypal Israeli onslaught connected Qatar, a cardinal mediator successful ceasefire efforts and big of the US military’s largest basal successful the Middle East, Al Udeid.

Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs confirmed the telephone “as portion of US efforts to code the repercussions of the Israeli aggression that targeted a residential neighbourhood successful Doha city, which included lodging for the Hamas negotiating delegation, resulting successful a blatant usurpation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar.”

“At the opening of the call, the Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs expressed his gratitude to the US President for his efforts to execute bid successful the region, including guarantees to forestall a recurrence of aggression against the State of Qatar and the US committedness to its defence concern with Qatar,” the ministry said.

“For his part, the Israeli Prime Minister apologised during the telephone for the onslaught and the usurpation of Qatari sovereignty, which resulted successful the martyrdom of Qatari national Badr Al-Dosari, pledging not to repetition immoderate targeting of Qatari territory successful the future.”

In a station connected X, Netanyahu’s authoritative X relationship quoted him arsenic telling the Qatari premier minister: “Mr Prime Minister, I privation you to cognize that Israel regrets that 1 of your citizens was killed successful our strike. I privation to guarantee you that Israel was targeting Hamas, not Qataris.

“I besides privation to guarantee you that Israel has nary program to interruption your sovereignty again successful the future, and I person made that committedness to the president.”

The premier curate past went connected to assertion “Israel has grievances against Qatar, from enactment for the Muslim Brotherhood to however Israel is portrayed connected Al Jazeera to enactment for anti-Israel sentiment connected assemblage campuses”.

United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres condemned the onslaught arsenic a “flagrant violation” of Qatar’s sovereignty and territorial integrity. The attacks besides saw astir 60 Muslim countries gathering successful Doha to amusement their solidarity.

After Netanyahu’s “deep regret” implicit attacking Qatar, the White House said Qatar’s premier curate “welcomed these assurances, emphasising Qatar’s readiness to proceed contributing meaningfully to determination information and stability. Prime Minister Netanyahu expressed committedness to the same.”

Sultan Barakat, a prof astatine Hamad Bin Khalifa University successful Qatar, said Netanyahu’s reported telephone to apologise was “significant”.

“Qatar has said from the opening that it would not beryllium capable to proceed mediation efforts without a nationalist apology and a confirmation from Netanyahu that helium won’t effort to bash it again,” Barakat told Al Jazeera.

“It is important not conscionable for the mediation betwixt Hamas and Israel but for the full portfolio of mediation successful general. You can’t support the abstraction for mediation erstwhile parties to the struggle privation to settee their accounts directly,” helium added.