https://arab.news/56bvm
Marco Rubio, the US secretary of state, arrived in Qatar on Tuesday, a day after Doha hosted two summits, one for Gulf Cooperation Council leaders and the other for members of the Arab League and the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, to discuss Israel’s attack on Doha on Sep. 9 and express support for Qatar. Coming a week too late and passing by Israel first to express solidarity there, his reassurances may not have the desired effect.
While the GCC gathering was behind closed doors, the wider summit was public, lasting several hours. Representatives of the 57 Arab and Muslim states, accounting for about 2 billion people, gathered in the tiny emirate to express their unconditional support for Qatar. Without exception, speakers roundly condemned Israeli leaders for the unprovoked violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and expressed disappointment that the US, a friend of both Israel and Qatar, had failed to prevent it.
Qatar has been mediating the conflict between Israel and Hamas, together with Egypt and the US, and has hosted Hamas interlocutors at the explicit request of Washington, consistent with Israel’s wishes. Israel has never asked Qatar to expel Hamas’ representatives.
