Doha: The State of Qatar has strongly denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's statements regarding Qatar's hosting of the Hamas political office. Qatar has described these statements as reckless and an unjustified attempt to validate an attack on Qatari territory, along with direct threats of future breaches of state sovereignty. According to Kuwait News Agency, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Qatar issued a statement highlighting that Netanyahu is fully aware that the hosting of the Hamas office was conducted within the framework of Qatar's mediation efforts, which were requested by the United States and Israel. The statement emphasized that the office's role in facilitating exchanges and ceasefires has been widely recognized by the international community, bringing relief to both Palestinian civilians and Israeli hostages who are in dire need of basic humanitarian aid since the events of October 7, 2023. The statement further clarified that negotiations were always conducted in an officia l and transparent manner, with international backing and the presence of US and Israeli representatives, dismissing Netanyahu's insinuations of Qatar secretly harboring the Hamas delegation. The comparison to the pursuit of Al-Qaeda post-September 11 was termed a desperate justification for treacherous practices, noting that there was no international mediation involving Al-Qaeda. Qatar's statement pointed out that such rhetoric from Netanyahu, who relies on extremist language to gain electoral support and faces international justice, is not surprising. It highlighted that the international solidarity with Qatar illustrates the universal rejection of threats against sovereign states. Despite Netanyahu's attempts to discredit Qatar, the statement asserted that Qatar remains committed to acting as a trusted international partner for peace and stability in the region. Qatar pledged to take all necessary measures to protect its sovereignty and territory, working with international partners to hold Netanyahu acc ountable for his actions. The statement concluded by reaffirming Qatar's commitment to international law and the UN Charter, urging the international community to reject Netanyahu's rhetoric and prevent political distortions that hinder peace efforts.
