UAE Summons “Israeli” Envoy Over Doha Strike, Warns Against Threats to Gulf Security

By Staff, Agencies

The United Arab Emirates has summoned “Israeli” Ambassador Yossi Shelley to formally protest an “Israeli” airstrike on Doha that killed senior Hamas leaders, escalating diplomatic tensions between Abu Dhabi and Tel Aviv.

The move was confirmed Friday by “Israeli” broadcaster KAN, signaling growing strain between the two nations despite their close economic and defense ties.

Relations had already been uneasy due to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s far-right cabinet advancing annexation plans in the occupied West Bank, which Abu Dhabi had previously declared a “red line”.

On Thursday, the Emirati Foreign Ministry condemned Netanyahu’s “hostile” remarks against Qatar, stressing that the Gulf state’s security is an “integral part” of the Persian Gulf Cooperation Council [GCC].

It warned that any assault on a member state constitutes an attack on the GCC’s collective security framework, accusing Netanyahu of undermining stability and driving the region toward “extremely dangerous trajectories”.

The condemnation came after Netanyahu threatened Qatar directly, saying: “You either expel them [Hamas] or you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will”.

Hamas confirmed that five members, including the son of Gaza chief and top negotiator Khalil Al-Hayya, were killed in the strike, though its top leadership survived.

Qatar denounced the attack as a “cowardly act” and violation of international law, vowing not to accept Israel’s “reckless behavior”.

The Gulf state, alongside Egypt and the US, has played a key role in mediating a ceasefire in Gaza, where more than 64,700 Palestinians have been killed since October 2023.