‘Scope of Violence in Middle East Widens’: SG’s Expectations for Emergency UNSC Meeting on Qatar”

United Nations

Sphinx: Ahmed Ali

Ahead of Israel’s attack on the Qatari capital, Doha, this Tuesday, representatives of Pakistan, Somalia, and Algeria, along with Qatar’s Prime Minister, called for an emergency session of the Security Council. Before the meeting, Stéphane Dujarric, Spokesman for the Secretary-General, reiterated the Secretary-General’s condemnation of the attack as a grave violation of Qatar’s “sovereignty and territorial integrity,” stressing that it is now the Council’s responsibility to address the breach.

During the session, members of the international community reaffirmed their support for Qatar and condemned what Pakistan’s Permanent Representative, Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, described as “Israeli impunity.” Under-Secretary-General Rosemary DiCarlo echoed this sentiment, warning that Israel’s attacks further threaten “peace and security.” She called the airstrikes “an alarming escalation, especially since they targeted individuals gathered to discuss a U.S. ceasefire proposal.” DiCarlo concluded by warning that the strikes on Doha, aimed at Hamas’s Political Bureau, “potentially open a new and paralyzing chapter threatening regional peace and security.”

Algeria’s Permanent Representative, Amar Bendjama, voiced strong condemnation, stating: “Israel behaves as if law does not exist, as if borders are illusions, as if sovereignty itself is a dispensable notion.” He added, “In the past days, Israel has struck Syria, Lebanon, Yemen, and now Qatar.” Bendjama ended his remarks by denouncing the “cowardly Israeli aggression that targeted the Qatari capital” and declaring that “Israel DOES NOT SEEK PEACE.”

U.S. Permanent Representative, Ambassador Dorothy Camille Shea, countered that the attack in Qatar “does not advance America’s or Israel’s goals.” She argued it was “inappropriate for any member to use this to question Israel’s commitment to bringing its hostages home.” Shea added, “Killing Hamas is a worthy goal, and only after the terror group’s removal can Gaza advance toward a better future.” She closed her remarks by emphasizing Hamas’s ongoing threat to Israeli security, noting that President Trump’s vision for ending the war requires Hamas’s total surrender and the release of all hostages.

China’s Permanent Representative, Fu Cong, stated that the Council is working on a draft resolution to address Gaza’s humanitarian crisis, insisting that a permanent ceasefire is needed and condemning Israel’s continued “warmonger” tactics.

Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani thanked the international community for its solidarity, condemning what he called “an unjust attack” on a residential area where “peaceful negotiations of Hamas political members and other parties” were taking place. He stressed that Qatar continues to make tireless efforts to broker peace and save lives “at the expense of an extremist government that attacks the region in sporadic fashion.” The Prime Minister concluded by denouncing the current Israeli administration as “arrogant, enjoying impunity, and distorting peace negotiations.”