Policy Brief: Progress Center for Policies
Introduction:
Reactions to the Israeli strike on Doha are escalating, highlighting that the incident is not a minor detail that can be overlooked within the broader context of the ongoing war in Gaza since October 2023. Reports in the American press about Qatar’s alleged intention to reassess its security partnership with the United States—later denied by Doha—reflect a shifting regional sentiment.
Key Facts:
September 11, 2025: Qatar affirmed that its partnership with the United States is “stronger than ever,” rejecting reports about reviewing its security relationship with Washington as “completely false.”
The U.S. outlet Axios claimed that Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani told U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff that Qatar would reconsider its security partnership with Washington after the Israeli strike on Doha. According to Axios, the Qatari official hinted that Qatar might seek alternative partners for its security if necessary.
September 10, 2025: The Qatari Prime Minister described the strike on a Hamas office in Doha as “state terrorism,” saying: “We were betrayed.” He added that the strike eliminated any remaining hope for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza.
He declared that Netanyahu “must be brought to justice” and is “wanted by the International Criminal Court.”
He stressed that Israel and the U.S. were fully aware of Hamas’s meeting in Doha to review the American proposal on Gaza, noting: “We had nothing to hide.” He rejected claims of “harboring terrorism.”
Qatar is reassessing its mediation role and the future of Hamas’s presence in Doha, warning that “the entire Gulf region is at risk.”
He announced that a regional response is under consultation and that an Arab-Islamic summit will be held in Doha in the coming days to determine a collective course of action.
The Prime Minister highlighted that the U.S. had repeatedly expressed support for Qatar.
September 9, 2025: Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yisrael Katz justified the strike as targeting Hamas leadership responsible for the October 7 massacre and continued attacks against Israel, including a deadly attack in Jerusalem the day before.
September 10, 2025: Qatar’s Foreign Ministry issued a statement condemning Netanyahu’s “reckless remarks” about hosting Hamas’s office, emphasizing that:
Hosting was at the request of both the U.S. and Israel, as part of mediation efforts.
Netanyahu knows the office played a central role in successful prisoner swaps and ceasefires appreciated internationally.
Negotiations were held formally, publicly, and with U.S. and Israeli participation.
Netanyahu’s attempt to portray it as secret harboring of Hamas is a desperate justification for a condemned crime.
His comparison with Al-Qaeda after 9/11 is a false analogy, since Hamas mediation was internationally sanctioned.
The strike triggered widespread solidarity with Qatar from Gulf, Arab, and Islamic countries, with leaders visiting Doha and international capitals expressing condemnation.
Observers noted that Qatari statements highlighted the positive U.S. stance while avoiding direct confrontation over Washington’s prior knowledge of the strike.
American media reported that President Donald Trump and U.S. officials were angered by the Israeli strike, though official White House and Trump statements only expressed displeasure, not outrage.
Analysts argue that the strike undermines Qatar’s long-standing international role as a mediator and backchannel facilitator in complex conflicts.
U.S. sources stressed that the attack endangered a designated Major Non-NATO Ally (since 2023, under President Joe Biden) and compromised the strategic importance of Al-Udeid Air Base.
U.S. institutional voices (the “deep state”) have historically defended Qatar, even during the Gulf rift, despite Trump’s earlier hostility toward Doha.
Some U.S. decision-makers view the Israeli strike as a “blunder” that jeopardizes American interests and are pushing for a recalibration in Washington’s approach to Netanyahu.
Conclusions:
Arab reactions to the Israeli strike on Doha reflect a shared perception of threats to Gulf and Arab collective security due to Israel’s violation of regional red lines.
Qatar’s denial of reassessing its U.S. security partnership, while affirming its strength, underscores a wider Gulf trend to seek complementary or alternative international partnerships to safeguard regional security.
The incident reveals waning confidence in U.S. leadership, particularly under President Trump, as American strategy appears increasingly subordinated to Israeli priorities (Syria, Lebanon, Iran as examples).
The planned Arab-Islamic summit in Doha signals a collective intention to forge a united stance to defend shared geostrategic interests.
Europe fears the Gaza war could spill over into the Gulf, threatening its political, economic, and energy interests.
The strike on Doha adds pressure on Europe to adopt a more unified stance in pressing Israel to halt the Gaza war and recognize Palestinian statehood.
Within the U.S., elements of the “deep state” express discontent over threats to strategic American interests caused by the attack on Qatar, a key ally.
The strike undermines Qatar’s international function as a trusted mediator in conflict resolution and backchannel diplomacy.
