UAE condemns ‘hostile’ statements by Israeli prime minister against Qatar

The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday condemned "hostile" statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against Qatar.

In a statement, the Foreign Ministry said Qatar's security and stability are an "integral part" of that of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, stressing that any assault on a GCC member state "constitutes an attack on the collective Gulf security framework."

The ministry voiced the UAE's "categorical rejection" of Netanyahu's remarks, which it said included future threats against Qatar, warning that such rhetoric undermines regional stability and pushes the region toward "extremely dangerous trajectories."

Netanyahu's remarks came amid mounting international criticism of Israel's deadly strike on Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital Doha on Tuesday.

"You either expel them (Hamas) or you bring them to justice. Because if you don't, we will," Netanyahu addressed Qatar on Wednesday.

Netanyahu likened the Israeli assault on Doha to the US pursuit of Al-Qaeda following the Sept. 11, 2001 terrorist attacks. Qatar swiftly rejected the comparison, branding it a "new, miserable justification for Israel's treacherous practices" and a reckless violation of its sovereignty.

The Israeli strike killed five Hamas members and a Qatari security officer. Hamas confirmed that its leadership had survived the attack.

Qatar condemned the attack as a "cowardly act" and a blatant violation of international law, warning it would not tolerate Israel's "reckless behavior."

The Gulf state, along with the US and Egypt, has been playing a central role in efforts to mediate an end to Israel's war on Gaza, which has killed more than 64,700 Palestinians since October 2023.