DOHA(National times)- Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said on Tuesday (Sep 9) that mediation efforts are part of the Qatari identity and nothing would deter its role in that regard, hours after Israel attacked Hamas leaders in Doha. Doha, along with Cairo and Washington, has been a key mediator between Israel and Hamas during the war in Gaza. “Qatar has spared no efforts and will do everything it can to stop this war in Gaza, but for current talks, I do not think there’s something valid right now after what we saw from today’s attack,” al-Thani said at a news conference. He blamed Israel for sabotaging what he said were chances for peace, sharply criticising Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu whom he said practiced “state terrorism”. Netanyahu has said the attack was “entirely justified” and was ordered after an attack in Jerusalem and the loss of four Israeli soldiers in Gaza. Al-Thani said US officials first warned Qatar of the Israeli attack 10 minutes after it began, describing the strike as “100 percent treacherous.” “Qatar reserves the right to respond to this blatant attack and will take all necessary measures to respond,” he added, saying a legal team has been formed to handle the Gulf country’s response to the attack.
UN CHIEF DECRIES ISRAELI STRIKES ON QATAR
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Tuesday condemned Israel’s strikes on Qatar as a “flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity” of the Persian Gulf country. “We are just learning about the Israeli attacks in Qatar, a country that has been playing a very positive role to achieve a ceasefire and release of all hostages,” Guterres said during a news conference on the launch of his report on global military spending. The UN chief condemned “this flagrant violation of the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar,” and urged all sides to “work towards achieving a permanent ceasefire, not destroying.”On Tuesday, Israel launched an airstrike on senior Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital Doha, a move seen as a fresh blow to efforts for a Gaza ceasefire deal.
