Trump Pressures Netanyahu to Apologize to Qatar After Doha Strike/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu apologized to Qatar’s leadership for a recent airstrike in Doha that killed a Qatari security officer, clearing the way for renewed mediation with Hamas. The apology followed U.S. pressure from President Donald Trump, who demanded Netanyahu commit to no further strikes on Qatar.
Netanyahu Qatar Apology Quick Looks
- Netanyahu apologized to Qatari PM Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani
- Regret expressed for killing a Qatari security officer during strike
- Apology was Qatar’s condition to resume mediation with Hamas
- Strike targeted Hamas leaders but killed lower-level operatives instead
- Trump demanded Netanyahu commit not to strike Qatar again
- White House furious at lack of consultation before attack
- Gulf leaders condemned the violation of Qatari sovereignty
- Israel risks regional isolation as Gaza peace talks stall
Trump Pressures Netanyahu to Apologize to Qatar After Doha Strike
Deep Look
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has issued a rare apology to Qatar, expressing regret for a recent Israeli airstrike on Doha that killed five Hamas operatives and one Qatari security officer. The apology, delivered in a call to Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, came while Netanyahu was in Washington meeting with President Donald Trump.
According to sources familiar with the matter, the apology was a key Qatari condition for resuming its mediation role in efforts to secure a ceasefire in Gaza and the release of Israeli hostages. The Trump administration sees Qatar’s involvement as indispensable to advancing peace negotiations.
Why Qatar Demanded an Apology
Qatar suspended its mediation efforts after the September 9 strike, which marked the first Israeli airstrike in a Gulf state. The attack failed to eliminate Hamas’ senior leadership but killed lower-ranking members, while also sparking outrage across Arab capitals.
Qatari Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani pressed for an apology during meetings with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, warning that the strike was a grave breach of sovereignty. Behind the scenes, Qatari officials indicated they were open to carefully worded language that focused on the civilian death and avoided inflaming Netanyahu’s fragile coalition politics.
Israel has apologized in similar circumstances before, most notably in 2013, when Netanyahu expressed regret to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan for the deaths of Turkish activists in the 2010 Gaza flotilla raid.
Trump’s Pressure on Netanyahu
The White House, blindsided by the Israeli strike, reacted sharply. President Trump reportedly spoke with Netanyahu twice on the day of the attack, voicing his frustration and demanding assurances that Israel would not repeat such actions. “It’s unacceptable. I demand that you do not repeat it,” Trump told him, according to officials briefed on the calls.
The strike rattled Washington because it undermined the U.S. relationship with Qatar, a critical partner that hosts the Al Udeid Air Base, America’s largest military installation in the Middle East. Qatar briefly signaled it might reconsider its security partnership with the U.S., though both Washington and Doha later publicly denied such plans.
Still, the episode damaged confidence. One U.S. official described the strike as “an unpleasant reminder” of past Israeli actions that strained Netanyahu’s relationship with Trump during his first term.
Netanyahu’s Defiance
Despite the apology, Netanyahu has not softened his rhetoric. In a video statement Wednesday, he defended the Doha strike as a legitimate counterterrorism measure. Comparing it to America’s pursuit of al-Qaeda after 9/11, he warned Qatar and other nations:
“You either expel them or you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will.”
This defiance reflects a tension at the heart of Netanyahu’s strategy: apologizing under U.S. and regional pressure while signaling to domestic supporters that he won’t hesitate to act again if Hamas leaders remain sheltered abroad.
Regional and Global Fallout
The strike deepened Israel’s regional isolation. Gulf leaders condemned it as a violation of sovereignty, and Qatari Prime Minister Al Thani went as far as telling CNN that Netanyahu should be “brought to justice” for what he called “state terror.”
Across Europe and much of the world, officials criticized Israel’s escalation, warning it jeopardized fragile efforts to end the Gaza war. Hamas, for its part, claimed victory in surviving the attack, declaring that its leadership remained intact.
The Trump administration, however, sees a paradoxical opportunity: the backlash has generated fresh momentum for a comprehensive regional deal. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff and Israeli Minister Ron Dermer have been meeting Qatari officials in an effort to reset relations and revive negotiations.
What Comes Next
Whether Netanyahu’s apology will suffice remains unclear. Qatari officials have reportedly sought promises that Israel will compensate the family of the slain security officer and pledge not to repeat violations of sovereignty.
For Trump, the priority is clear: bringing Qatar back into the mediation process to secure a ceasefire in Gaza. For Netanyahu, the challenge is balancing his coalition’s demands for military toughness with the international pressure to de-escalate.
The Doha strike, while militarily unsuccessful, may have accelerated diplomacy. As one regional analyst observed, “Sometimes a miscalculation forces everyone to the table.”
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