Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani says the Israeli attack on Doha undermines efforts to end the genocide in Gaza.
Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has condemned Israel’s “treacherous attack” in Doha targeting Hamas leaders during his speech at the United Nations General Assembly address.
He warned that the attack “undermines any diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the genocide against the people in Gaza” and demonstrated that Israel has become a “rogue” state.
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Hamas leaders gathered to discuss the latest Gaza ceasefire proposal by US President Donald Trump were targeted by Israel on September 9 – an act Qatar dubbed “state terrorism“. Top Hamas leadership survived the assassination bid, but six people were killed in the unprecedented bombing that sparked a global condemnation.
Speaking in New York on Tuesday, the emir said the September 9 strike took place “in a residential neighbourhood that includes schools and diplomatic missions” and amounted to a political assassination.
The attack came at a time when Qatar, one of the key mediators between Israel and Hamas, had been trying to broker a ceasefire in Gaza. Trump said he regretted the attack, but did not condemn Israel. Washington has promised that such attacks won’t be allowed on Qatar, home to Al Udeid base, which hosts US troops.
Israel ‘engaged in genocide’
Sheikh Tamim lambasted Israel, saying it “negotiate[s] with delegations” while plotting “to assassinate the members of the negotiation teams”.
“It is difficult to cooperate with such a mentality that does not respect the most minimum standards of cooperation.”
The Qatari emir added that Israel treats negotiations as “a continuation of war in other means and a way to delude the Israeli public opinion”. He accused Israel of seeking to “destroy Gaza so that it is unlivable and where no one can study or receive treatment”.
While Israel presents itself as “a democratic country surrounded by enemies,” the emir said it was instead “an enemy to its surrounding neighbours, and it’s engaged in a genocide”.
He also argued that Israel has sought to brand opponents of its policies as either “antisemitic or a terrorist,” a tactic he said “even Israel’s allies realise … and reject”.
The emir later drew parallels with past struggles, saying, “Here we are today, where we witness an international solidarity movement that is similar to the international movement against apartheid last century.”
‘One of the darkest moments’
Sheikh Tamim’s remarks came as Israel’s war on Gaza continued to dominate proceedings at the UN’s annual gathering. More than 65,000 Palestinians have been killed since Israel’s relentless war began.
On Tuesday, US President Donald Trump said the war must be stopped “immediately,” while Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan declared that “everyone who is keeping silent is an accomplice to this barbarity.”
Jordan’s King Abdullah II called Israel’s war in Gaza “one of the darkest moments in this institution’s history,” as he stressed that the injustices undergirding the conflict stretch back decades.
“How long will we be satisfied with condemnation after condemnation without concrete action? When it comes to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, it seems that what unfolds in the halls of power is theory; the struggles and suffering on the ground are reality,” he said in his speech.
French President Emmanuel Macron is among other leaders scheduled to address the Assembly.
On Monday, France and Saudi Arabia convened dozens of world leaders to rally support for a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
Several European states, including France, Andorra, Belgium, Luxembourg, Malta and Monaco, also joined the growing list of countries recognising Palestinian statehood.
Calls for human rights to be respected
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres also delivered an impassioned defence of human rights, following a landmark report by a commission of the UN Human Rights Council that found Israel has committed genocide in Gaza.
The US and Israel – both critics of the council – have dismissed the report. The Trump administration withdrew from the body earlier this year.
“We must choose human dignity and human rights. Human rights are not an ornament of peace, they are its bedrock,” Guterres told the assembly. “Choosing rights means more than words. It means justice over silence.”
The Qatari leader went on to link the September 9 attack in Doha to broader concerns about violations of international law, stressing that “the international rules-based order must be respected by all”.
“These rules are based on the maintenance of international peace and security and the respect for human dignity and state sovereignty and a noninterference in internal affairs, and to cooperate for the benefit of our peoples,” Sheikh Tamim said.
“This means, if we allow violations to continue, it means allowing the rule of the jungle, where perpetrators and violators enjoy benefits just because they can.”
