In a rare moment of global consensus, the world has turned its attention to the Middle East after Israel launched an aerial strike in Doha, Qatar, targeting Hamas leaders—including those involved in delicate ceasefire negotiations and the potential release of Israeli hostages. The attack, which took place last week, has not only shaken diplomatic relations in the region but has also prompted a wave of international condemnation, uniting even the most unlikely of rivals on the world stage.
On September 11, 2025, the United Nations Security Council convened an emergency meeting in New York. In a striking display of unity, all 15 council members, including the United States and China—often at odds on Middle East policy—backed a statement condemning the attack on Qatar. Notably, the statement stopped short of directly naming Israel, but the implication was clear. According to Xinhua, this rare show of agreement underscores the severity with which the international community views the incident.
Traditionally, the United States has been Israel’s staunchest defender in global forums, often shielding it from criticism. However, this time was different. U.S. President Donald Trump took to social media to defend Qatar, describing it as “a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States,” and praised its efforts at brokering peace. “Qatar is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace,” Trump wrote, signaling a subtle but significant shift in the U.S. approach to its Middle Eastern alliances.
Despite this, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remained defiant. “I say to Qatar and all nations who harbour terrorists, you either expel them or you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will,” he declared, according to South China Morning Post. Netanyahu later doubled down at a press conference in Jerusalem, emphasizing, “We sent a message to the terrorists: You can run but you can’t hide — and we will get you.” He insisted that Israel acted alone and that the message of the strike was more important than whether every target was hit. The strike, he argued, was a direct response to Hamas’s leadership of the October 2023 attack that reignited the war in Gaza.
The fallout from the attack was immediate and widespread. On September 15, 2025, leaders of the Arab and Muslim world gathered in Doha for an emergency summit. The summit, which coincided with the fifth anniversary of the Abraham Accords—a U.S.-brokered agreement that normalized relations between Israel and several Arab states—became a platform for unified condemnation of Israel’s actions. Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met in a show of solidarity, while leaders from Egypt, Jordan, and Iran joined the chorus of outrage.
Qatar’s emir, Sheikh Tamim, accused Israel of “racist terrorist practices” and of seeking to “turn the Arab region into an Israeli sphere of influence.” He warned that Israel was “sabotaging” the ongoing ceasefire and hostage release talks, and pledged that Qatar would do “everything necessary and permissible to us by international law, to preserve our sovereignty and confront this Israeli aggression.” President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi of Egypt was unequivocal: “Our message is clear: We will not accept any aggression against the sovereignty of our country.” Jordan’s King Abdullah II echoed this sentiment, demanding a “clear and resolute” response.
The summit’s final communique expressed solidarity with Qatar and called on states to take “all possible legal and effective measures to prevent Israel from continuing its actions against the Palestinian people.” It urged a review of diplomatic and economic relations with Israel and the initiation of legal proceedings, but stopped short of concrete commitments. Hossam Zaki, the Arab League’s assistant secretary-general, clarified that the call was nonbinding: “It is not a mandatory or binding paragraph, but rather one that opens the door for member states…to take such measures if they wish and if they see them as important and necessary.”
While some leaders urged Abraham Accords signatories to sever ties with Israel, analysts like Amatzia Bar’am of Haifa University told The New York Sun that such drastic steps were unlikely. “They might recall their ambassador to Israel for consultations, or summon the Israeli ambassador in their country for a dressing down,” Bar’am noted, but few Arab states have genuine interest in ending relations. The region’s leaders, he said, tend to unite only when they perceive a shared danger—now, that danger is Israel’s willingness to strike beyond its borders.
Qatar’s role as a mediator now hangs in the balance. For years, Doha has hosted political leaders of Hamas, acting as an intermediary between the group and Israel, especially since the war in Gaza began nearly two years ago. This unique position enabled Qatar to facilitate ceasefire negotiations and hostage talks. The recent strike, however, has cast doubt over its ability to continue in this role, with the emirate’s sovereignty and regional standing called into question.
The attack has also reignited old tensions among Arab states. Qatar has long been accused by some neighbors of harboring extremist groups, leading to a Saudi-led embargo in 2017 that only ended in 2021 under U.S. pressure. Critics like Jonathan Schanzer of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies likened Doha to “the cantina scene in ‘Star Wars,’” sheltering operatives from Al Qaeda, the Taliban, ISIS, Hamas, and the Houthis. “The surprise to me is that there have not been more operations that have removed these people,” Schanzer remarked, while also noting that the current crisis is partly of Qatar’s own making.
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian’s attendance at the summit further complicated the picture, as he warned that “no Arab state is safe” from Israel. This sentiment resonated with Gulf leaders who, after years of relative calm, now feel the specter of conflict drawing closer. The region’s stability, once taken for granted, now seems precarious amid escalating hostilities—from the Red Sea blockade by Iranian-backed Houthis to Israel’s willingness to strike in friendly capitals.
Meanwhile, violence in Gaza has shown no sign of abating. As of September 15, Israel’s ongoing strikes had killed 51 people in the enclave, adding to the sense of urgency and despair among Arab leaders and populations alike.
Amid the diplomatic theater and strong rhetoric, the practical response remains uncertain. As Abdulaziz Alghashian of the Gulf International Forum put it to The New York Times, “I think people were hoping for far more actions. The statements were designed to increase the strength of the tone but nothing really fundamental is different.” The world is watching to see whether this rare moment of unity will translate into meaningful change—or if, once again, the status quo will prevail.