Donald Trump issued his own warning through an executive order, according to which any armed attack against the territory, sovereignty, or critical infrastructure of Qatar will be considered a threat to the peace and security of the United States. According to the decree, in case of such an attack, the United States will take all legal and appropriate measures, including diplomatic, economic and, if necessary, military measures, to protect the interests of the US and Qatar and restore peace.
The executive order represents a move to support Qatar and a clear “block” to any Israeli plans to attack the country as it did on September 9th. Two days before signing the executive order, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called Qatar’s prime minister during his meeting with Donald Trump at the White House, apologizing for the strike on the country’s capital and promising that such actions would not be repeated.
Besides Israel, Iran also launched an attack against Qatar this year, with Tehran firing missiles at the US military base Al Udeid located southwest of the capital, Doha. Tehran’s action was a response to the US operation “Midnight Hammer,” during which American bombers struck Iran’s nuclear program infrastructure.
Trump’s statements on Qatar
According to reports, Qatari officials told Trump, along with Arab countries, that the country was “capable of convincing Hamas to agree to a deal that includes demilitarization,” as reported by a source familiar with the details to The Jerusalem Post.
These reports come weeks after the US President’s statement that Qatar is a major US ally and that Israel must be “very careful” with its actions, in response to a reporter asking what his message was to Netanyahu regarding the attacks on Doha.
Days after the Israeli attack on Doha, Trump hosted an official dinner with Qatar’s prime minister in New York.
