On Monday, U.S. President Donald Trump personally welcomed Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to the White House. This marks Netanyahu's fourth visit to America since Trump assumed office in January. Arriving at the White House in a limousine, Netanyahu was greeted with a handshake, with Trump expressing, 'You look terrific,' and Netanyahu responding in kind. The two leaders turned to the cameras, flashing a thumbs-up gesture.
According to Reuters, Netanyahu called Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani from the White House to apologize for a recent Israeli attack on Doha. Targeting senior Hamas leaders earlier this month, the airstrike resulted in the deaths of five individuals, including Khalil al-Hayya's son and associate Jihad Labaad.
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Trump’s Displeasure Over Israeli Airstrikes
This incident heightened tensions between the U.S. and Israel. President Trump expressed disappointment over Netanyahu's unilateral actions. During a phone call after the Doha strikes, Trump warned Netanyahu, labeling the action as unwise and expressing concern about destabilizing sensitive regional diplomacy.
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Netanyahu defended his decision, citing a limited time frame for action. With Qatar being a key mediator in the Gaza ceasefire talks alongside Egypt, it condemned the attacks, describing them as cowardly and a breach of international law. Qatar's Foreign Ministry spokesperson Majid Al-Ansari stated that the airstrikes intentionally targeted residential buildings housing Hamas political bureau members in Doha.
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Netanyahu's Stern Warning to Qatar
Hamas attributed the Doha attacks to both Israel and the U.S., accusing Washington of joint accountability. Subsequently, Netanyahu warned Qatar to refrain from harboring senior Hamas leaders, urging their expulsion or judicial action, asserting, 'If you don't do it, we will.' Qatar dismissed Netanyahu's remarks as 'irresponsible.'
