The US president said he hopes the attack in Doha will not affect a deal in Gaza, but Politico reported that his frustration with the prime minister is growing. The White House fears that the attack in Doha has completely thwarted the negotiations."Trump is very unhappy, and he has not hidden it," it is claimed. Messages from the Qatari prime minister, who will visit Washington today:"We are trying to calm things down"
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The news website "Politico" reported tonight (Thursday to Friday) that US President Donald Trump and his close aides are concerned that...
The unprecedented Israeli attack on Doha
thwarted the negotiations for a hostage deal - perhaps forever. According to a person close to the president's national security team, and another American source familiar with the details, the administration's frustration with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has deepened since Tuesday's attack - and Trump and his aides have even begun to wonder whether he was trying to sabotage the talks.
"It seems like every time there's progress, Netanyahu bombs someone," said the source close to Trump's team."That's why the president and his aides are so frustrated with him," he said. At the same time, the two sources said the White House is working to appease the Qataris, who have called the Israeli attack"barbaric."
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Trump, Netanyahu and the Emir of Qatar (Photo: AP Photo/Alex Brandon, REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa, Alex Kolomoisky)
Trump himself said tonight that he hopes the Israeli attack in Qatar against senior Hamas officials, which
Their fate is still unknown.
, will not affect the deal to release the hostages. The president was asked by reporters outside the White House if the attack would affect the deal, and he replied:"I hope it won't affect it at all." He said,"We want to get the hostages out and we want it to happen soon."
Politico also reported that Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed al-Thani will meet with Trump in Washington today, discussing the Israeli attack on Doha, as well as the"status of negotiations with Hamas." Al-Thani will also meet with Vice President J.D. Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, and US Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff. It was also reported that he is also expected to visit New York.
The source close to Trump's national security team said that Secretary of State Rubio has spoken in recent days with the Prime Minister of Qatar, mainly on the subject of"prioritizing a plan to expand the principality's security cooperation agreement" with the United States. Rubio is expected to visit Israel next week, although it is unclear whether he will also visit Qatar.
In the White House's first statement on the subject after the attack on Tuesday, spokeswoman Caroline Levitt made it clear that Trump was"frustrated" by Israel's decision to attack Qatar, a US ally that is home to the largest US military base in the Middle East, and which Trump visited last May. The administration also emphasized that it learned of the attack from the US military, and that Israel did not consult with Washington before the attack and"did little" to notify it of it.
The same statement by the White House spokeswoman claimed that the US had warned Qatar before the attack, but after Doha claimed that they had not received such a warning, Trump claimed that Israel had not provided sufficient warning about the attack, and that the phone call from Witkoff to Qatar came"too late."
He further claimed that "the decision to attack was made by Netanyahu."
", not by me."
A US government security source told Politico that "the vague message given by Israel was completely inadequate, lacking the details needed to properly warn regional partners - which is why Trump responded as he did." According to him,"a unilateral bombing inside Qatar, a sovereign country and a close US ally, which is working very hard and courageously, and taking risks with us to broker peace - does not advance Israel's or America's goals."
The source close to Trump's team said that "this was the most public criticism I've seen from a Republican president of an Israeli leader in a long time." He added that Trump's phone call with Netanyahu on Tuesday,
Reported in the Wall Street Journal
, the first of two held after the attack, was even more"stormy." "The president was very unhappy, and he showed it."
According to the same report in the Journal, the president criticized Netanyahu's decision to"surprise" him with the attack, and expressed anger after learning about it from the US military and not from Netanyahu directly. Netanyahu, for his part, assured Trump that he had a short window of time for the attack and he decided to take advantage of it. Trump expressed frustration with the decision to attack Qatar, a US ally and mediator in negotiations with Hamas, and called the decision"unwise." Sources in the Trump administration noted that about 24 hours later the two had a repeated conversation, which was"cordial." The president asked Netanyahu if the attack had proven itself, and Netanyahu replied that he did not know. Hamas, on the other hand, claimed in an official statement that the attack had failed.
"Trump told Arab leaders back in May that he was frustrated with Netanyahu"
The American official mentioned that during his trip to the Middle East in May, Trump chose not to visit Israel. He said that even then, the president told the leaders of Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, which he visited on his trip, that he was frustrated with Netanyahu. According to the official,"Trump's inability to control Netanyahu" is particularly troubling to officials in the administration, as Netanyahu takes steps that directly affect US relations in places like Syria and Qatar. However, the official said that he is not aware of any steps being planned in the administration against Netanyahu.
On Tuesday, Netanyahu issued a statement in English, in which he conveyed a message to Qatar and"all countries that provide shelter to terrorists: Either deport them or bring them to justice. Because if you don't, we will." According to "Politico," these threats are also worrying other US allies, because they could undermine mediation efforts in other places, while also raising the question of whether Hamas itself will return to talks now.
As for Doha, a Qatari official told Politico that “the focus is on our national security and sovereignty, which were directly threatened by the attack. All other political considerations have been relegated to second place.” He said, “When one side chooses to bomb the mediator and one of the negotiating delegations, what kind of talks can be considered valid?”
Netanyahu will convene the small cabinet today
To discuss the continuation of the war in Gaza and the occupation of Gaza City - and this will be the first discussion after what appears to be the failure of the attack in Doha. The small cabinet will discuss the implications of the action on the continuation of the talks for the deal. Since the attack, the negotiations have effectively been suspended, with Qatar announcing that it is freezing its involvement.
The Prime Minister of Qatar and the Jordanian Foreign Minister discussing the security proposal, last night."Israeli officials do not care about the lives of the hostages" (Photo: REUTERS/Eduardo Munoz)
Meanwhile, all 15 members of the Security Council
They issued a joint statement last night condemning the attack in Doha.
- But without mentioning Israel by name. The Americans did manage to soften the wording and the statement could have been tougher - but in any case, it is a blow to Israel after the attack on senior Hamas figures, which, at least according to the latest assessments, appears to have been unsuccessful.
The same statement, in fact a press release, stated:"The members of the Security Council condemn the recent attacks in Doha, on the territory of a central mediator, and express deep sorrow for the loss of civilian lives. The members of the Council emphasize the importance of de-escalation and express solidarity with Qatar. They emphasize their support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar, in accordance with the principles of the United Nations." The statement also mentioned "the vital role that Qatar plays in mediation efforts in the region, alongside Egypt and the United States. The release of the kidnapped, including those murdered by Hamas, and an end to the war and suffering in Gaza must remain our top priorities."
After the public condemnation, the Security Council held a discussion on the extraordinary attack in Doha. The Qatari prime minister attacked in the discussion that"the attack violated Qatar's sovereignty. The decision to attack while we are engaged in mediation reveals Israel's intentions to harm peace efforts," and claimed that "Israeli leaders do not care about the lives of the hostages." Israel's ambassador to the UN, Danny Danon, responded in his speech:"The targets of the attack are not politicians or diplomats, they were the masterminds of terrorism. Just as there was no immunity for Bin Laden, there is no immunity for Hamas. The question is not why Israel is acting against terrorists on foreign soil - but why those terrorists are given sanctuary in the first place."
