Israel's strike on Qatar complicates Trump's Mideast priorities
WASHINGTON
FILE - Smoke rises from an explosion, after an Israeli strike, in Doha, Qatar, on Tuesday, Sept. 9, 2025. (UGC via AP, File)
Israel's strike on Hamas leadership in Qatar has deeply infuriated Arab leaders across the region, creating tensions that could bode ill for U.S. President Donald Trump's priorities in the Middle East.
Just a few months ago, the rulers of Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Qatar welcomed Trump to their palaces with camel parades and pomp
The strike has triggered the worst fears of leaders in the oil-rich Gulf: That the U.S. might abandon its decades-old commitment to protect them from regional aggressors in the mold of former Iraqi dictator Saddam Hussein or — it now seems — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
Those fears could undermine Trump’s priorities in the region, from ending the war in Gaza and expanding his signature Abraham Accords — which forged ties between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain and Morocco — to countering Chinese and Russian influence. Netanyahu's dream of new normalization deals across the Gulf seems further than ever.
Trump seems to have registered the anger of Gulf leaders. He has distanced himself from the strike, saying it “does not advance Israel or America’s goals” and promising Qatar that it would not be repeated.
But his ironclad support for an Israeli government that has increasingly flouted international norms in the wars unleashed by Hamas’ 2023 attack is a source of concern in the Gulf.
Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani is scheduled to meet senior U.S. officials on Sept. 12, with discussions expected to cover Israel’s recent strike in Qatar and ongoing efforts to reach a ceasefire in Gaza amid escalating Israeli attacks.
Reports from Politico and Axios indicate that al-Thani may also meet with Trump, Vice President JD Vance and U.S. special envoy Steve Witkoff.
According to Politico, citing sources close to Trump’s national security team and a U.S. official, the president and his aides are concerned that Netanyahu may be undermining the ceasefire negotiations with Hamas by targeting senior Hamas officials in Doha.
The strike has reportedly intensified the Trump administration’s frustrations with Netanyahu, prompting U.S. officials to question whether the Israeli leader is intentionally disrupting the peace talks.
A source told Politico, "Every time they're making progress, it seems like he [Netanyahu] bombs someone," noting that this has been a source of repeated frustration for the president and his team.
Another official added that Trump's "inability to control Netanyahu" is particularly troubling, especially when Netanyahu's actions affect U.S. relations with Qatar and Syria.
