Following the bombing of Doha, Netanyahu escalates his verbal attack on Qatar.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu escalated his verbal attack on Qatar on Tuesday evening following the bombing of its capital, Doha, a week ago. This came during a press conference held in his office in West Jerusalem.

Netanyahu stated, "I had strong criticism of Qatar, which I expressed during the war." He claimed that "if Qatar wanted to, it could have easily exerted much stronger pressure to help us free all our hostages," referring to the Israeli prisoners in the Gaza Strip.

He continued his assertion: "It (Qatar) is linked to Hamas, supports Hamas, hosts Hamas, and funds Hamas." He added, "Open Al Jazeera (...) and you will see (...) it is hell... hell of anti-Semitism, of anti-Zionism... hell of anti-America for many years."

Attempting to justify his country's aggression against Qatar, Netanyahu said, "There is a Security Council resolution - if I am not mistaken, Resolution 1373 - issued two weeks after the events of September 11 (2001)."

He went on: "After the attacks, the United Nations said: We will target terrorists wherever they are. The resolution stated: Terrorists must be treated as terrorists, even if they receive refuge, funding, or protection from the territory of any state."

He added: "Based on this resolution, the United States bombed Afghanistan because the terrorists were there. Then Pakistan was also bombed."

He continued with his claims: "But there is one clear outcome: The fact that we acted there, and that Hamas finds no refuge, is a very strong message to the leaders of terrorism in Hamas and to Israel's enemies everywhere."

Hamas asserts that it resists Israel, which the United Nations classifies as "the occupying power in the Palestinian territories."

Netanyahu added: "I have no business relations with Qatar, and I do not deal with this matter at all."

No immediate comment was issued from Doha regarding Netanyahu's allegations and accusations, but the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, said in his speech at the opening of the emergency Arab Islamic summit in Doha on Monday that "when the treacherous Israeli aggression occurred, Hamas's leadership was studying an American proposal that we received from us and Egypt (the mediators)."

He emphasized that "whoever works diligently and systematically to target a negotiating party is working to sabotage the indirect negotiations with Hamas."

In condemnation, the Emir of Qatar questioned: "If Israel wants to assassinate the political leadership of Hamas, why negotiate with them? They (Israel) want to sabotage the negotiations."

He added that "the Prime Minister of Israel dreams of making the region an Israeli sphere of influence, and this is a great illusion, and these plans will not pass."

Meanwhile, Qatar's ministers described Netanyahu as a "rogue" who practices "state terrorism" last Tuesday.

Al Thani added that "the Israeli attack that took place on Qatari soil can only be described as state terrorism."

He stressed that this terrorism "is practiced by a person like Netanyahu in the context of these systematic policies and his continuous attempts to destabilize regional security and stability."

Locally, Netanyahu is being tried on corruption charges that could lead to his imprisonment if convicted, and the International Criminal Court is seeking his arrest on charges of committing war crimes and crimes against humanity against Palestinians in Gaza.

Last Tuesday, the Israeli army launched an airstrike on the leadership of Hamas in Doha, which Qatar condemned and confirmed its right to respond to this aggression that killed a member of the Qatari internal security forces.

Meanwhile, Hamas announced the survival of its negotiating delegation led by its head in Gaza, Khalil Hayya, from an assassination attempt, and the killing of his office director Jihad Labed, his son Hamam Hayya, and three companions.

The Israeli aggression against Qatar's sovereignty has drawn Arab and international condemnations, with calls for the need to deter Tel Aviv to stop the violations of international law.

The attack on Qatar came despite its mediating role, alongside Egypt and with American participation, in indirect negotiations between Hamas and Israel to reach an agreement for a prisoner exchange and a ceasefire.

With American support, Israel has been committing genocide in Gaza since October 7, 2023, resulting in 64,964 dead and 165,312 injured Palestinians, most of whom are children and women, and a famine that killed 428 Palestinians, including 146 children.

By attacking Qatar, Israel has expanded its aggressions in the region, having launched