The Israeli airstrike on Doha, Qatar\u2019s gleaming capital, last week marks a watershed moment in Middle Eastern geopolitics. This audacious operation, involving a squadron of 15 fighter jets targeting Palestinian leaders sheltered in the Gulf state, shattered long-standing assumptions about regional red lines.<\/p>\n
I see this not just as an isolated act of aggression but as the crystallization of a bold, reckless Israeli military doctrine. It is one that discards restraint, embraces multifront escalation and treats sovereign borders as mere suggestions. In my view, this is not merely a desperate bid by Benjamin Netanyahu to cling to power amid domestic scandals, it is a societal shift, backed by surging public approval in Israel, as a poll published last week by Maariv found that 75 percent of Israelis supported the attack. Israelis, weary of perpetual threats, seem to be buying into this \u201cno safe havens\u201d mantra, even if it risks igniting a broader conflagration.<\/p>\n
This doctrine represents a paradigm shift from the cautious, deterrence-based strategies of past Israeli governments. Historically, Israel has operated within implicit boundaries, avoiding direct strikes on neutral, Western-aligned states like Qatar, which has positioned itself as a mediator in hostage negotiations and a hub for US interests. Qatar hosts Al-Udeid airbase, the largest American military installation in the Middle East, housing more than 10,000 US personnel.<\/p>\n
Yet here we are: Israeli jets piercing Qatari airspace, bombing targets in a nation that has funneled billions into humanitarian aid and diplomatic efforts. This was not just a tactical strike, it was a declaration that peace brokers are fair game if they harbor perceived enemies. The attack upended the fragile equilibrium of regional stability, exposing the hollowness of \u201cuntouchable\u201d norms.<\/p>\n
“I see this not just as an isolated act of aggression but as the crystallization of a bold, reckless Israeli military doctrine”<\/strong><\/em><\/span><\/p>\n
Dr. Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
As I analyze this through a lens of maximal truthfulness, it is clear that, without swift, collective international intervention, we are staring down the barrel of unchecked chaos. Israel must be held accountable but let\u2019s be real: with unconditional US backing under President Donald Trump, Netanyahu has been handed a blank check for adventurism.<\/p>\n
Netanyahu\u2019s postattack bravado only underscores this. In a fiery address to the Knesset, he boasted of confronting \u201cseven fronts\u201d simultaneously, from Gaza and Lebanon to Syria, Iran and now the Gulf. He accused Qatar of weaponizing the incident to isolate Israel diplomatically, while hinting at further strikes.<\/p>\n
This rhetoric is not empty. It is rooted in the vision of a \u201cGreater Israel,\u201d a concept Netanyahu has invoked repeatedly in recent speeches, dreaming of expanded borders under the guise of national security. My take? This is not divine destiny, it is opportunism fueled by Trump\u2019s unwavering support. The president\u2019s errors, from sidelining Palestinian rights to greenlighting annexations, have eroded the America\u2019s mediator role, aligning it fully with Israeli hard-liners. Reports from credible sources reveal Trump was briefed on the Doha operation more than 50 minutes in advance. His silence? Tacit approval. This not only strains US-Qatari ties, putting Al-Udeid at risk, but creates a glaring hypocrisy: Washington preaches de-escalation publicly while enabling escalation covertly.<\/p>\n
Expanding on this, Israel\u2019s actions extend far beyond Doha. Under the pretext of protecting borders that remain ambiguously defined and ever-expanding, Netanyahu\u2019s forces have launched preemptive strikes across the region. In Lebanon, they have targeted Hezbollah infrastructure, aiming to neutralize the group\u2019s missile arsenal. In Iran, airstrikes have hit nuclear facilities, stoking fears of a wider war. Syria sees Israeli occupation of territories nearly double Gaza\u2019s size, with support for rebel factions undermining Damascus. Even a ship in the Global Sumud Flotilla off Tunisia\u2019s coast was attacked and, in Gaza, the ongoing campaign has been labeled genocide by the UN, with tens of thousands of civilian deaths reported by human rights groups.<\/p>\n
These are not isolated incidents, they are threads in a tapestry of dominance. The Doha attack serves as the capstone, signaling the death knell for negotiations. Qatar\u2019s role in brokering ceasefires and hostage releases? Irrelevant to this doctrine. Instead, it is about eliminating threats wherever they hide.<\/p>\n
In my view \u2014 informed by a commitment to logical reasoning rather than sentiment \u2014 Trump\u2019s complicity accelerates Netanyahu\u2019s timeline. With the possibility looming of a change in tact of the US administration through midterm shifts, Netanyahu is rushing to \u201cfinalize\u201d his long-term goals: annexing the West Bank, dismantling Hezbollah, crippling Iran\u2019s nuclear ambitions, displacing Gazans through siege and bombardment, and redrawing the Middle East map. He has even mused about \u201creshaping\u201d the region in interviews.<\/p>\n
The only bulwark? Arab rejection of forced displacement, as voiced unanimously at recent summits. This consensus, fragile as it is, prevents full ethnic cleansing in Gaza. Enter the emergency Arab-Islamic summit in Doha on Monday \u2014 a direct response to the attack. Hosted amid the airstrike\u2019s echoes, it produced a communique with unprecedented bite: calls to review diplomatic and economic ties with Israel, push for the suspension of its UN membership, and reject any further threats against Arab states. This was not mere rhetoric, it emphasized collective security, while offering a veiled warning against \u201cstate terrorism.\u201d<\/p>\n
Preceding this, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman\u2019s address to the Shoura Council was a masterclass in resolve. He condemned the assault as a destabilizing crime, pledging unlimited Saudi support for Qatar and mobilizing capabilities to deter Israel. The crown prince\u2019s words, \u201cWe will stand with Qatar without limit,\u201d echo Gulf solidarity, potentially bridging historical rifts.<\/p>\n
“It could indeed be an \u2018every cloud has a silver lining\u2019 situation, fostering Arab unity against Israeli overreach”<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n
Dr. Turki Faisal Al-Rasheed<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n
I appreciate this pragmatism. Bombast about severing US ties or launching all-out war ignores the Arab world\u2019s divisions, economic disparities, proxy conflicts in Yemen and Libya, and varying alliances. A full military confrontation? It would be a recipe for disaster in a region lacking unified command structures and advanced deterrence. Instead, the smart play is political judo: leverage the attack to isolate Israel internationally.<\/p>\n
Here is where optimism creeps in, albeit tempered by realism. The Doha incident could indeed be an \u201cevery cloud has a silver lining\u201d situation, fostering Arab unity against Israeli overreach. For the first time, Israel has lost the global narrative war. Social media amplifies Gaza\u2019s horrors, eroding the \u201cvictim state\u201d image Israel has cultivated since 1948. The Palestinian people\u2019s resilience and sacrifices have swayed public opinion, with protests from London to Tokyo demanding accountability.<\/p>\n
European nations, including Spain, Ireland and Norway, have recognized Palestine, signaling a shift. The UN\u2019s genocide acknowledgment adds legal weight. The Gulf states, with their oil-fueled economic clout controlling trillions in sovereign wealth funds, can amplify this pressure. By lobbying Washington to temper its support (perhaps by tying Israeli aid to concessions), they could force a rethink. After all, US interests are not monolithic \u2014 alienating key allies like Qatar jeopardizes counterterrorism efforts and energy security.<\/p>\n
Reviving the two-state solution fits this strategy. Saudi Arabia\u2019s joint initiative with France, spotlighted after the UN General Assembly\u2019s overwhelming adoption of the New York Declaration last week, endorses Palestinian statehood. With 142 nations voting in favor, the vote underscored international fatigue with the Israeli occupation. This is not pie-in-the-sky idealism, it is actionable diplomacy. Implementing it would require borders based on the 1967 lines, East Jerusalem as Palestine\u2019s capital and refugee rights \u2014 elements long stalled by Israeli settlements.<\/p>\n
In my view, this path offers the best shot at de-escalation, though success hinges on Arab cohesion. The Kingdom\u2019s leadership, bolstered by Vision 2030\u2019s economic diversification and ties to powers like China and Russia, positions it to orchestrate this. However, challenges abound. Not all Arab states are stable, think Syria\u2019s fragility or Lebanon\u2019s paralysis, and internal divisions could undermine unity.<\/p>\n
Ultimately, the world respects strength and Arab power lies in collective action. Symbolic as it may be, a unified front creates a pressure block beyond toothless condemnations. Israel\u2019s advantages \u2014 top-tier intelligence via Mossad, a military with F-35s and the Iron Dome, and US veto power at the UN \u2014 will not be a deterrent if the cost escalates. Economic boycotts, diplomatic isolation and legal pursuits at the International Criminal Court could make Netanyahu\u2019s doctrine unsustainable.<\/p>\n
I will not sugarcoat it: unity will not magically erase decades of mistrust, but the Doha attack provides a rallying cry. It could pivot the region toward equitable peace, ending the cycle of occupation. Or, if squandered, it invites more turmoil. The choice is theirs \u2014 but history favors the bold.<\/p>\n