President Donald Trump has issued an executive order in which The United States pledges to guarantee Qatar’s security – including retaliatory military action – if the country were to come under attack again, in the wake of Israel’s unprecedented air strikes on the country last month that drew regional and global outrage.
Israel said that the attack targeted Hamas leaders who were in the capital, Doha, discussing a US ceasefire proposal for Gaza under Qatari auspices.
It killed several members of the Palestinian group’s team, but not the leaders, as well as a Qatari security officer.
“In recognition of this history, and in light of the continuing threats to the State of Qatar posed by foreign aggression, it is the policy of the United States to guarantee the security and territorial integrity of the State of Qatar against external attack,” he said.
“The United States shall regard any armed attack on the territory, sovereignty or critical infrastructure of the state of Qatar as a threat to the peace and security of the United States.”
After the Israeli strikes in Doha on September 9, Washington tried to repair the damage done to diplomatic relations with Qatar while also showing its continued ironclad support for its ally Israel. The Gulf nation had called Israel’s actions “cowardly and treacherous.”
AL-JAZEERA
