The United States has backed Qatar’s “constructive role” in mediating efforts to end the war in Gaza, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Israeli leaders on Monday.
The statement came after Israel launched a strike on Qatar, which is home to the largest US air base in the Middle East.
Both President Donald Trump and Rubio opposed the recent attack on Qatar.
Rubio, speaking at a joint news conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, said, “We are focused on what happens now, what happens next, what role can Qatar play possibly in reaching an outcome” to resolve the conflict.
“We're going to continue to encourage Qatar to play a constructive role in that regard,” Rubio added, expressing Washington’s support for diplomatic efforts through Doha.
Meanwhile, Netanyahu defended Israel’s strike on Hamas, the group behind the October 7, 2023, attack on Israel. He stated that Israel assumes full responsibility for the action, explaining that terrorists should not be given a safe haven and that those who planned the worst massacre of Jewish people since the Holocaust cannot be granted immunity.
Netanyahu drew comparisons with past US military actions, stating that the countries condemning Israel today had not expressed similar outrage when the sovereignty of Pakistan or Afghanistan was violated. He pointed out that such countries cannot claim sovereignty when they are effectively providing a base for terrorists.
The Israeli leader referenced how the US acted boldly after the September 11 attacks, citing the war in Afghanistan and the 2011 raid that killed Osama bin Laden in Pakistan.
Before the October 7 attack, both Israel and the US had quietly supported Qatar’s role, including transferring millions of dollars to Hamas to maintain stability in Gaza. Washington and Tel Aviv considered Qatar’s close ties to the US as a way to monitor Hamas and prevent the group from aligning with Iran, whose government openly supports the militants.