Qatar issued a sharp rebuke late Saturday night following pointed remarks made by Israeli Prime Minister Bibi Netanyahu criticizing the Gulf nation.
Netanyahu’s comments came after Qatar condemned Israel during proceedings at the International Court of Justice (ICJ). In a public statement, Netanyahu said, “Israel is fighting a just war with just means. After the October 7 atrocities, Prime Minister Netanyahu defined the War of Redemption as a war between civilization and barbarism.” He continued, “The time has come for Qatar to stop playing both sides with its double talk and decide if it’s on the side of civilization or if it’s on the side of Hamas barbarism. Israel will win this just war with just means.”
In reply, Dr. Majed Al Ansari, the official spokesperson for Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, took to X with a lengthy post condemning Netanyahu’s accusations. He wrote, “The State of Qatar firmly rejects the inflammatory statements issued by the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office, which fall far short of the most basic standards of political and moral responsibility. Portraying the ongoing aggression against Gaza as a defense of ‘civilization’ echoes the rhetoric of regimes throughout history that have used false narratives to justify crimes against innocent civilians.”
Al Ansari also emphasized Qatar’s active role in diplomatic efforts to end the conflict, writing, “Since the outbreak of the war, the State of Qatar, working in close coordination with its partners, has made every effort to support mediation aimed at ending the fighting, protecting civilians, and securing the release of hostages. A legitimate question must be raised: Were the releases of no fewer than 138 hostages achieved through so called ‘just’ military operations, or through the very mediation that is now being unjustly criticized and undermined?”
He further accused Israel of inflicting immense suffering on Gaza’s population: “Meanwhile,” he charged, “the Palestinian people in Gaza are enduring one of the worst humanitarian catastrophes of modern times marked by a suffocating blockade, systematic starvation, denial of medicine and shelter, and the use of humanitarian aid as a tool of political coercion. Is this truly the model of ‘civilization’ being promoted?”
Al Ansari concluded his response by asserting Qatar’s continued commitment to humanitarian principles, stating, “Campaigns of distortion and political pressure will not deter Qatar from standing with oppressed peoples, defending the rights of civilians regardless of background, and upholding international law without selectivity or exception.” He also said that Qatar is still working alongside Egypt and the United States “to secure an immediate ceasefire, ensure the uninterrupted flow of humanitarian aid, and advance a just and lasting peace one grounded in justice and humanity, not violence and double standards.”
Netanyahu’s remarks were prompted by statements made earlier by Qatari diplomat Mutlaq Al-Qahtani at The Hague, who declared, “We are witnessing new trails of tears in the West Bank, mirroring Gaza’s fate. In Gaza, Palestinians face famine-like conditions, as Israel has completely blocked life-saving aid for millions of Palestinians.”
Al-Qahtani continued, “It has continued its genocidal war against the Palestinian people of Gaza, which is not only an international crime but the crime of crimes, which shocks the conscience of mankind. Israel is using aid as a tool of extortion to further its military goals and as an act of collective punishment.”
{Matzav.com}