Beirut: The United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Thursday condemned ‘hostile’ statements made by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu against Qatar. In a statement, the Foreign Ministry emphasized that Qatar’s security and stability are an ‘integral part’ of that of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations. The statement stressed that any assault on a GCC member state ‘constitutes an attack on the collective Gulf security framework.’
According to National News Agency – Lebanon, the ministry expressed the UAE’s ‘categorical rejection’ of Netanyahu’s remarks, which it noted included future threats against Qatar. The ministry warned that such rhetoric undermines regional stability and poses a risk of pushing the region toward ‘extremely dangerous trajectories.’
Netanyahu’s comments were made in the context of growing international criticism of Israel’s recent strike on Hamas leaders in the Qatari capital, Doha, on Tuesday. Addressing Qatar on Wednesday, Netanyahu stated, ‘You either expel them (Hamas) or you bring them to justice. Because if you don’t, we will.’