ABU DHABI: The United Arab Emirates on Thursday strongly condemned what it described as “hostile statements” by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu targeting Qatar, warning that any aggression against a Gulf state would be treated as an attack on the region’s collective security.
Afra Al Hameli, Director of Strategic Communication at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that “the security and stability of the State of Qatar is an integral part of the security and stability of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states”.
The statement, shared on social media platform X, underscored that “any aggression against a GCC member state constitutes an attack on the collective Gulf security framework,” adding that continued Israeli threats risked destabilising the region.
“The continuation of such provocative and hostile rhetoric undermines prospects for stability and pushes the region towards extremely dangerous trajectories,” the ministry cautioned.
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The remarks come amid rising tensions following Israeli air strikes on Doha earlier this week, which Israel claimed targeted Hamas leadership. Qatar is set to host an extraordinary Arab-Islamic summit under the Arab League and Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) on Sept 15 to discuss the situation.
On Wednesday, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said a response to the strikes was under discussion with regional partners, warning that “the entire Gulf region is at risk” and urging a “collective response”.
Netanyahu, however, threatened further action, with critics accusing him of attempting to derail prospects of a two-state solution while advancing his government’s “Greater Israel” agenda.
