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UNSC condemns Israel over deadly strike on Qatar
14-09-2025
UNITED NATIONS: The United Nations Security Council has condemned the Israeli attack on the Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday and called for de-escalation in a statement agreed by all 15 members including Israel’s chief ally, the United States.
Council members issued the statement ahead of the emergency meeting on Thursday, which was convened to discuss Israel’s attacks targeting Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, as it ramped up its offensive in Gaza City, forcing more than 200,000 to flee.
Five Hamas members were killed but the Palestinian group said its leadership survived the assassination bid. A Qatari security force member was also killed in the unprecedented attack, which has sent tensions in the region skyrocketing.
Hamas leaders were meeting to discuss a new deal proposed by US President Donald Trump when the attack happened.
“Council members underscored the importance of de-escalation and expressed their solidarity with Qatar,” said the statement, drafted by France and the United Kingdom, which nonetheless stopped short of explicitly mentioning Israel.
It also emphasized that “releasing the hostages including those killed by Hamas and ending the war and suffering in Gaza” were “top priority”. More than 40 captives are still held in Gaza but only 20 of them are believed to be alive.
The US, which traditionally shields its ally Israel at the United Nations, appeared to deliver a strong rebuke to Israel, reflecting President Donald Trump’s purported unhappiness with the attack.
Acting US Ambassador Dorothy Shea said; “Unilateral bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign nation working very hard and bravely taking risks alongside the United States to broker peace, does not advance Israel’s or America’s goals.”
“That said, it is inappropriate for any member to use this to question Israel’s commitment to bringing their hostages home,” she continued.
Reporting from New York, journalist Gabriel Elizondo said that diplomatic sources had told him the US “pushed back” against stronger language against Israel in the statement, which was nonetheless “highly significant”.
However, Shea had made it clear that “the US cannot and will not defend Israel’s attack on Qatar”.
“Clearly, the US still backs Israel. Clearly, the US will still … protect Israel in the Security Council but this was a bridge too far for the United States,” said Elizondo.
“It will be interesting to see in the coming hours and days if we even get more clarification from the White House on this,” he added.
After Tuesday’s attack, the White House had said President Trump was not notified in advance. Upon learning of the attack, the president had allegedly asked his envoy, Steve Witkoff, to warn Qatar immediately but the attack had already started.
‘A new and perilous chapter’
The Security Council statement highlighted “support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar”, underlining the country’s crucial role as “a key mediator” in peace talks between Israel and Hamas.
Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani flew in from Doha for the marathon three-hour session, telling the UNSC that Doha would continue its humanitarian and diplomatic efforts, but would not tolerate further breaches of its security and sovereignty.
Blasting Israel’s leaders as “arrogant”, he said that the timing of the attacks during mediation efforts showed that the country intended to derail them. “Israel is undermining the stability of the region impetuously,” he said. (Int’l News Desk)
