UN Security Council rebukes Israel over Qatar strike

The United States, in a rare move, joined the other United Nations Security Council members in issuing a rebuke of Israel following its bombing of a building in a residential neighborhood of the Qatari capital, Doha.

Normally, when any criticism of Israel is on the table during a Security Council meeting, the U.S. acts as a safeguard for its ally by using its veto power to kill such actions.

While the U.N. statement did not mention Israel by name, it left little to the imagination as to who it was referring to in its condemnation.

“Council members underscore the importance of de-escalation and expressed their solidarity with Qatar,” the statement read. “They underlined their support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Qatar, in line with the principles of the U.N. charter.”

In the initial aftermath of the bombing, which targeted Hamas’s senior leadership but failed to kill any of them, President Donald Trump gave a mixed response to the attack.

“Unilaterally bombing inside Qatar, a Sovereign Nation and close Ally of the United States, that is working very hard and bravely taking risks with us to broker Peace, does not advance Israel or America’s goals,” Trump posted online, however, he added that trying to eliminate Hamas’s leadership was a "worthy goal."

The U.S. acting U.N. ambassador, Dorothy Shea echoed Trump’s sentiments during the Security Council meeting.

Israel’s ambassador, Danny Danon, took an unapologetic tone, doubling down on Israel’s actions, arguing that they only targeted Hamas members and that this should send a "message that should echo across this chamber: There is no sanctuary for terrorists. Not in Gaza, not in Tehran, not in Doha."

The attack received near global condemnation with Qatar saying it "terrorized" civilians living in the area.

“This attack puts the international community before a test,” Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani said. “Israel, led by blusterous extremists, has gone beyond any borders, any limitations when it comes to behavior. We are unable to predict what Israel will do — how can we host Israeli representatives when they have committed this attack?”

Since October 7, 2023, Israel has carried out bombings in Gaza, the West Bank, Lebanon, Syria, Iran, Yemen and Qatar, something that received significant criticism from Algeria’s ambassador to the U.N. Amar Bendjama.

“Israel behaves as if laws do not exist, as if borders are an illusion, as if sovereignty itself is a dispensable notion,” he stated.

Jordan’s deputy prime minister and foreign minister, Ayman Safadi, was just as forceful in his message to his country’s neighbor.

“The injustice has gone too far,” he said. “We want a just peace. But there is no Israeli partner now to work toward it.”

Israel has sworn to carry out attacks against its enemies no matter where in the world  they are, raising concerns that more attacks could be coming