ALBAWABA- The United Nations Security Council on Thursday condemned the recent strikes on Qatar’s capital, Doha, but notably refrained from naming Israel in its unanimous statement, despite the attack being claimed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The Council’s 15 members, including Israel’s closest ally the United States, endorsed the declaration calling for “de-escalation” and affirming “solidarity with Qatar and support for its sovereignty and territorial integrity.”
The statement, drafted by Britain and France, marks a rare instance of Washington backing language critical of Israeli actions at the UN, reflecting President Donald Trump’s reported displeasure with Netanyahu’s decision to order the strike.
The September 9 attack hit residential compounds in Doha said to be housing members of Hamas’ political bureau, including relatives of senior negotiator Khalil al-Hayya.
While Hamas leaders survived, the group said the assault disrupted ongoing U.S.-mediated talks on a ceasefire and hostage release deal to end the Gaza war.
Deputy UN Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo told ambassadors that Israel’s strike came “at the height of ongoing consultations,” warning that actions undermining mediation “weaken confidence in the very mechanisms we depend on for conflict resolution.” She urged restraint, stressing that “durable solutions in the Middle East cannot be achieved through further violence.”
Qatar, along with the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab League, and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, denounced the attack as a violation of sovereignty and a dangerous escalation.
Netanyahu defended the strike as “a wholly independent operation,” carried out after Hamas claimed responsibility for a deadly attack on civilians in Jerusalem on September 8.
“The urgency of a ceasefire and hostage release deal in Gaza has never been greater,” DiCarlo said. “Strike a deal. Free the hostages. End the suffering of the people of Gaza.”
